At Schwab, we’re in the business of people. We’re driven by the challenge of
helping people take ownership of their ﬁ nancial future. Join our team and you’ll not
only change lives every day, you’ll get to work with great people while you do it.

ou’re cool under pressure. You like solving
problems. You’re friendly. You’re not too
interested in wearing a suit to work.
Sounds like you’re destined for a career
with Endurance International Group.
Endurance International – the parent
company for well-known tech companies
including HostGator, Bluehost, iPage and
Constant Contact, among others – is looking
for problem solvers to join its call center team
in Tempe.
“We’re looking for people who are creative,
innovative and want to have a voice,” said
Robert Zammit, director of talent acquisition
for Endurance International. “That doesn’t
mean you have to be a technologist or someone
who has worked in tech. We want people who
understand the world around them, who ask
questions and want to learn more.”
We’re surrounded by entrepreneurs in
today’s “gig economy.” Photographers are
working out of their homes. Families own their
own restaurants. Right now, there’s someone
somewhere who’s working on setting up an
online store. All these people have one thing
in common: They’re passionate about their
careers – but they probably aren’t passionate
about hostnames, DNS or nameservers.
That’s where Endurance International
employees come in: The friendly voice on the
other end of the line, ready to solve a problem.
At Endurance International, you get to be the
problem-solver.
“A big part of our culture is the idea of
empowerment,” said Andrew Wright, general
manager of the Tempe campus. “We train our
employees heavily and give them the resources
they need.”
You don’t have to be a technologist to
work for Endurance International. Instead,
they’re looking for people who enjoy solving
problems, and can empathize with customers
who are experiencing a technical challenge.
When you go to work for Endurance,
you’ll receive two full-time weeks of training.
You’ll learn about domains and hosting, and
develop a greater understanding of how the
Internet connects us all. Then, you’ll spend
two additional weeks taking calls with the

direct supervision of a trainer – you’ll start to
understand how to diagnose problems, you’ll
learn where you can find solutions, and you’ll
get to hear the two most important words in a
call center: “Thank you.”
“It’s not about memorizing the technology,
it’s about understanding customers and having
a conversation,” Wright said. “We have tools
and resources available for you to help.”
All of Endurance’s 800-plus Tempe
employees go through this process, which
includes continuing training and development,
as well as the possibility for advancement
into leadership. All of it is geared toward
helping Endurance International’s five million
customers across the globe.
Depending on the customer, you could
help someone set up an email account, send
an email marketing campaign, or transfer a
domain name. Every call is different. The one
constant is the high-quality customer service
Endurance International provides.

“The top priority in this company is
helping the customers,” Zammit said. “It can
be a hard job, and that’s why we make sure the
employees know they’re valued.”
No matter the hour of the day, there’s
always activity happening at Endurance’s
Tempe location. The 24-hour call center has
music – picked by employees – pumping
through speakers every minute of the day.
Take a tour of the office, and it’ll be hard
to pick out the managers from the first-line
help team. Everyone’s in jeans and t-shirts. The
mood is casual and fun, not corporate or stuffy.
“When you walk in here, you immediately
feel the energy,” Wright said. “The lights are
on, the music’s on, and people are having fun
at work. This isn’t what you picture when you
imagine a call center.”
In addition to a fun environment and
a traditional benefits package that includes
healthcare benefits, wellness program and a
401(k) package, employees also benefit from

on-site services such as a café, daycare and
gym. There are frequent events that recognize
and reward employees with prizes. Endurance
International also has a tuition reimbursement
program for employees who are working on a
degree or certification program.
Away from the office, Endurance
International also gives back to the
community. The Tempe office has partnered
with the Tempe school district’s magnet
program. Through the initiative, employees
get to interact with kids, talk about tech, and
inspire them to pursue careers in tech or other
STEM-related fields.
The commitment to the community
matches the commitment employees have dayto-day with customers.
“There’s a real sense of camaraderie here,”
Wright said. “We empower people to solve the
customers’ problems. That partnership has
transformed not just the face of our business,
but also our customers’ businesses.” n

4 | TOP COMPA NIES 2017

Top Companies to
Work for in Arizona:
Reaching new heights,
raising the bar!

For additional content and an
interactive photo gallery of the
Top Companies Awards Breakfast,
visit TopCompanies.azcentral.com

BY PAULA HUBBS COHEN

Recognizing
exceptional
companies
promotes
Arizona as a
leader in great
places to work.
ponsored
ed for the third consecutive year by the Arizona
Commerce
erce Authority (the
state’s leading economic
development
pment organization
whose mission is to grow and
strengthen
en Arizona’s economy), Republic Media, The
Arizona Republic and azcentral.com have
partnered with Best Companies Group (a
workplace excellence research firm specializing in identifying and recognizing great
places to work globally) and consulting
partner BestCompaniesAZ to produce the
fifth annual Top Companies to Work for in
Arizona program.

S

PROJECT OVERVIEW
One of the primary goals of this collaborative project is to recognize the organizations that are creating quality jobs, work
environments and innovative workplace
cultures that make Arizona a better place
for the people who live here as well as for
the companies that are a vital part of the
economic engines that drive our great

state. In addition, the project
is focused on providing new
benchmarks for employers
relating to their human resources practices and benefits that will attract
and retain talent in today’s market. Top
Companies accomplishes this goal by identifying companies that have achieved top
rankings in employer practices, employee
engagement and satisfaction scores.
“Top Companies is essential to economic
development and company attraction. In
fact, it is a catalyst to better jobs in our community and a stronger future for the Valley,”
said Heather Kivatinos, enterprise sales
manager–recruitment, Republic Media.
Peter B. Burke, president and co-founder
of Best Companies Group (BCG), agrees,
adding that Arizona’s quality workforce and
world-class businesses are two of our most
valuable resources. “The goal of Top Companies is to raise the bar among our region’s

employers, creating excellence and employee
engagement in the workplace that will attract
talented people for years to come,” he said.

ELIGIBILITY AND EVALUATION
The Top Companies program is open to
all publicly or privately held organizations,
either for-profit or not-for-profit. “To be eligible for consideration, companies must have
at least 25 employees working in Arizona.
Being headquartered in Arizona was not
a requirement,” Burke said.
BCG managed the registration process,
conducted the survey, evaluated the data
and ranked the companies that made the list.

IMPRESSIVE SCORES
Ninety percent of the employees at the
winning companies answered positively

to the statements on the employee engagement and satisfaction survey, while 92
percent of the employees at the winning
companies answered positively to the
engagement statements on the survey.
“This means that 92 percent are engaged,”
Burke said, “while the national average for
all U.S. employees is only 41 percent.”

TREMENDOUS JOB GROWTH
The Arizona Commerce Authority’s
strategies to improve Arizona’s economy
complement the goals of Top Companies.
Indeed, during the last four and a half
years, the Arizona Commerce Authority
(ACA) has worked with companies that
have committed to the creation of more
than 83,000 projected new jobs and more
than $9 billion in capital investments.

TopCompanies.AZcentral.com | TOP COMPA NIES 2017 | 5

How the data was ascertained, compiled and analyzed
PART 1: A confidential 76-question
Employee Engagement and Satisfaction Survey
was used to evaluate employees’ workplace
experience and company culture (threequarters of each company’s score).
PART 2: An Employer Questionnaire
was used to collect information about each
company’s benefits, policies, practices and
other general information (one-quarter of
each company’s score).
ANALYSIS: The combined data allowed
the experts at Best Companies Group (BCG) to
conduct an in-depth analysis of the strengths
These results strongly exceed the organization’s first five-year goals of 75,000

and challenges that exist in each company.
BCG’s experts analyzed the data to determine
the final list.
MORE INFO
Best Companies Group
TopCompaniesArizona.com
Toll-free: 877-455-2159
Companies in the diversity and women’s
initiative categories were chosen by a
committee who reviewed the survery results
and selected the companies with the greatest
number of quality programs.

projected new jobs and $6 billion in capital
investments. The ACA has also focused on

increasing international trade and investment opportunities, including forging strong
relationships with Mexico and Canada.

BUSINESS-FRIENDLY ATTRIBUTES
In addition to a pro-business environment,
affordable operating costs and unmatched
quality of life, Arizona enjoys a strategic geographic location with access to major markets.
Because of these attributes, Arizona has
been able to attract a number of innovative
employers from across the globe to locate
and expand in the Grand Canyon state. This
in turn benefits employees by providing them
with great places to work and enjoy fulfilling
careers as well as to raise happy families.
Kivatinos noted that Top Companies has
set an impressive benchmark of quality
workplaces in Arizona.

“These high standards create thresholds
for other companies to strive for, including
providing a supportive work environment,
creating a family-friendly culture and
providing a diverse workforce,” she said.
“Offering flexibility, incentives and perks,
participating in community projects that
support the well-being of the community
and build company morale, and offering
affordable healthcare options were all
benefits that employees felt made their
company a great place to work.”
In closing, Burke pointed out that the
remarkable organizations presented on the
following pages are innovators and the ones
other companies use as benchmarks. “As
you read their profiles, you’ll see the often
unique ways in which these employers help
their employees, their businesses and their
communities,” he concluded.

oday buying a car and getting it serviced has become a whole
new experience. Mike Messina, general manager at Larry H.
Miller Dodge Ram Avondale, said the automotive business is
very different from when he began just out of high school 34 years ago.
Consumer and employee expectations are very different. At the West
Valley dealership, gone is the old school method of posting a high price
or no price at all so the buyer and salesperson had to play a negotiating
game. Also, now when customers receive a price for their trade-in, it is
good regardless of whether you buy at this dealership or another.
“We work very hard to make the experience here different from
traditional car dealerships,” said Messina. “We have a transparent process,
which our customers love. Following the Larry H. Miller organization
core values of integrity, hard work, service and stewardship makes buying
and servicing a vehicle the professional experience it should be. ”
This sales process sets Dodge Ram Avondale above the rest in
a number of ways. Low up-front prices are shown clearly on every
windshield. Neither sales staff nor customers have to ‘go ask’ and then
negotiate over a price. Sales consultants do not work on commission
so the price of the vehicle doesn’t affect their income. It doesn’t matter

10101 W. Papago Fwy.,
Avondale, AZ 85323

623-478-3795 (English)
855-440-0553 (Español)

if the buyer’s budget is $5,000 or $50,000, the price, along with the
customer’s needs and wants, are all that affect the car selection process.
A trade-in vehicle offer is an offer to buy. There are no games and, even
if you don’t purchase a vehicle there, the trade-in offer is still good.
Messina said being a part of the dealership’s diverse sales force
offers good benefits and a great opportunity for advancement.
“There are so many success stories,” he said. “Five years ago, a
waiter from a local restaurant joined our team. He had good customer
service skills and, here, he received valuable training to take it to
the next level. This past December, he was promoted to senior sales
manager. His whole life has changed. A rewarding part of my job is
mentoring youth and the next generation so they learn this business
the right way. It is all about integrity, service and relationships.”
There are admirable benefits for eligible employees, including
medical, dental, vision, flexible health spending, life insurance,
disability insurance, employee assistance and 401(k). The company
supplied A Fit for the Future program helps employees focus on
nutrition, understanding the importance of social interaction and
mental wellness, and keeping good financial practices.

“Our employees really care about our business and our reputation,”
said Messina. “When customers leave, we give them an exit package
that contains all the numbers we talked about, our best price, the dealer
invoice and, if it is a pre-owned vehicle, the certification package. This
transparent process makes it easier on our employee, which contributes
to great consumer reviews and, ultimately, we sell more cars because we
are meeting the expectations of today’s buyers.” n

6 | TOP COMPA NIES 2017

Best practices:
Building a diverse workforce
BY BRIAN SODOMA

“The CEO and
executive team has
to be commited or
the results likely won’t
be strong. Diversity
can’t be simply an
HR initiative.”

I

n human resources circles, Lee Vikre
is known as the “Hiring Jedi.” Yes,
the employer branding consultant for
Best Companies AZ helps employers
find the right hires, but she also
works with businesses to develop a
strong workplace culture, too. In this
line of work, Vikre is often faced with
questions about building a diverse
workforce. She isn’t the lone expert
on this topic, but there are a few insights
she often shares that help business leaders
better understand how diversity can be
leveraged for competitive advantage.

FROM THE TOP
If you want to develop a diverse team,
the boardroom and leadership team needs
to show its commitment, not just the hiring
manager. A diverse board and leadership
team itself can be good for overall business, too. Global management consulting
firm McKinsey & Co. found that companies
in the top quartile of executive board diversity had returns on equity 53 percent
higher than those in the bottom quartile,
according to a 2016 analysis.
“The CEO and executive team has to be
committed or the results likely won’t

Proud to be named:

building projects.
building careers.
GCONInc.com
AR-0008686268-02

be strong. Diversity can’t be simply an HR
initiative,” Vikre noted. “Public statements
of commitment to diversity by the CEO,
executive committees on diversity, and
formal leadership accountability for
diversity are a good start.”

UNDERSTAND THE “WHY” OF DIVERSITY
When thinking about diversity, see beyond
token gestures. Diversity can help an enterprise become nimble and better able to
understand shifting customer demands.
“Diversity … is a collective strength of
unique characteristics, experiences, skills,

important than individual similarities or
differences. It creates an environment of
respect,” she added.
Study success to help you create
your own procedures that work.
“Don’t just copy their programs, be
authentic to your company; take their
substance and add your own style,”
Vikre said.

SEEK OUT EXAMPLES

RECRUITMENT CHANGES

Studying the success of others can help.
Vikre points to companies like USAA and
Charles Schwab who offer inspirational
approaches to diversity and inclusion.
Company culture should also be built
around a greater purpose that a diverse
group will want to eagerly embrace, Vikre
said. USAA, for example, hires people
from diverse backgrounds but all are unified by the mission of serving the military
and supporting military values.
“In any company with a strong
purpose, the common goal is more

Chances are you’ve been asking the
same, or similar, interview questions and
posting on the same job boards with the
same ads for some time. Many employers don’t realize that the questions they
ask and the assumptions they make are
limiting their pool of candidates. If you
want a diverse team, expect to revamp
your hiring processes, Vikre added.
“The hiring process is often more
biased than you are. It’s often unconsciously designed to hire more of the
same, even when leadership would like

the staff to become more diverse. From
biased job postings to overwhelmed managers selecting candidates according to
gut feelings, unconscious bias should
be rooted out of the hiring process,”
she said.

“Don’t just copy
(successful) programs,
be authentic to your
company; take their substance and add
your own style.”

DREAM.
BELIEVE.
BUILD.
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8 | TOP COMPA NIES 2017

n the United States, women make
up nearly 50 percent of the U.S.
workforce and 51 percent of corporate professionals. And, according
to the U.S. Department of Labor, the
number of women in the workforce
is expected to increase by 5.4 percent by the year 2022.
This growing national trend can also be
seen closer to home in Arizona, where,
according to a report by the Arizona Foundation for Women, women rank 18th in
the nation for women in the management,
business and financial sector, and 12th
highest (36.5 percent) in the percentage of all state firms owned by
women in 2012. The nation’s
average was 35.8 percent.

I

ATTRACTING
THE BEST, BRIGHTEST
One woman helping
change the face of
Arizona’s workforce

is Ashley Bronsky of Orchard Medical Consulting, a leading provider of nurse case
management. As chief operating officer,
she is responsible for leading all operational aspects of the organization, as well as
driving the company’s growth.
“This is my role according to my job
description, but my primary vision is to
offer an exceptional service to our clients
by attracting the brightest, most
talented team of
people

who want to make a positive impact in the
lives of others,” she says.
For Bronksy, women are fast becoming
a driving force in the Arizona workplace
due, in large part, to employers considering
women more as investments rather than
just employees.
“More and more Arizona employers are
investing in female leaders by providing
such things as opportunities for education,
training and mentorship; paid maternity
leave; sponsored memberships to
professional women’s associations; and the option

to flex work hours or work from home,”
she says. “There is absolutely no stopping
a woman who knows the meaning in her
work and feels rewarded for contributing
to her organization’s overall social and
ethical purpose.”

MAKING STRIDES
Jessica Shamash, area sales director of
CDW’s west region, has also noticed a
change. Since relocating to Arizona in
2008—when the Philadelphia-based technology solutions provider decided to invest
in a West Coast office—she says she’s

Arizona women
are driving new
workplace
culture

BY MICHELLE JACOBY

TopCompanies.AZcentral.com | TOP COMPA NIES 2017 | 9

The proportion of
professional women
(ages 25 to 64) with
a college degree
more than tripled
from 1970 to 2013.*
seen significant strides taken by women
in the workplace, particularly in the technology industry.
“Technology is known for being geared
more towards men,” she says. “But in
recent years, more women have been entering the workforce and, more importantly,
being successful at it.”
Shamash attributes this shift to companies like CDW building an industry-specific
network for women and providing employment and recruitment opportunities, as

Women earn more
than 40 percent of
the shared income
for married parents,
up from 33 percent
four decades ago.**
well as business training and leadership
resources.
“When we do recruiting events and fairs,
I’ll speak to groups of women and help
them recognize they can do this. If they
have the passion and agility to learn it,
women can be successful in this industry,”
she says.

PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES
Shamash also credits companies with
providing opportunities outside of the

Women are the
primary breadwinners
in nearly a third of
dual-income couples.**

workplace, particularly ones that involve
engaging with the local community.
“CDW is involved in a lot of charity work
with such organizations as Habitat for
Humanity and the Pat Tillman Foundation.
Many of our female partners are leading
those committees because they understand such contributions not only make
an impact on our communities, but also
makes CDW a tremendous company to
work for.”

In 2013, 57 percent of
all working-age women
were in the workforce,
compared to 70 percent
participation rate for
working-age men.†
Bronksy agrees. “I believe there is strength
and value in community,” she says.
“Professional women view relationships
as resources; providing employees with
opportunities to volunteer or form some
other meaningful connection ensures you
will retain brilliant and ambitious female
pioneers.”
*U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics
**White House Council of Economic Advisors
†

U.S. Department of Labor

10 | TOP COMPA NIES 2017

The business
of brand building
Here’s how to build employer
brand, boost your bottom line
strong employer brand is now a
necessity. Every company has
an employer brand or reputation,
whether by design or by chance.
Strong employer brands attract and retain
strong talent. With a weak employer brand,
just a few disgruntled employees can do
significant damage.

A

WHEN AN ORGANIZATION BUILDS A STRONG
EMPLOYER BRAND, FOUR THINGS HAPPEN:
1. Employees become ambassadors.
Only with a strong employer brand will
the positive voices speak as loudly as

the negative ones. People only go to social
media to express their delight or their
disappointment—not their indifference.
2. The company becomes a talent magnet.
Unemployment is zero percent in many
fields. Rock stars aren’t looking for jobs,
but are interested in conversations with
attractive employers. Engaged employees
refer their friends, often passive candidates
who work for competitors.
3. Overall company performance improves.
There is an economic link between a positive
employer brand and broader performance.
In the stock market, best companies
outperform the S&P 500 by 84
percent to 115 percent.
4. Customers turn into
fans. A great employer
brand creates confidence
in customers that they will
receive superior quality
products or services from
engaged employees.

WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS
TO BUILDING A STRONG EMPLOYER BRAND?
1. Positive culture. Culture is the overall
employee experience that results from
vision, values, manifesto, leadership,
practices and people. It can’t be copied.
Workplace cultures are a one-of-a kind
art and a good one is a masterpiece.
2. Brand consistency. Linking employer
brand with the product/service brand
strengthens both.
3. Differentiation. Great companies are like
ice cream. They all share some common
ingredients, but come in many different
flavors. A company’s unique
“flavor” can be defined through
internal communication and
specialized career events.
4. A well-designed careers page
and blog
create the

desire to be a part of something amazing.
Job postings have transformed from lists of
qualifications into inspiring stories describing
dream jobs. Blog posts associating a company with a positive employee experience
are effective brand builders, especially
when they come from a source with solid
credibility.
5. Recognition as a great place to work.
Companies that win awards such as Fortune’s 100 Best Places to Work often
become “destination workplaces,” as
famous for their corporate cultures as for
their products. USAA, Charles Schwab and
GoDaddy are examples of local and national award winning employer brands. Awards
are even more important for lesser-known
B2B brands.
There is no downside to building a strong
employer brand. Your employees are a
powerful force, and they want to buy into
your company’s powerful story.
—Denise Gredler, BestCompaniesAZ

“Choose a job you love, and you will
never have to work a day in your life.”
— Confucius

Whether you're actively seeking a new career, currently employed but open to considering new opportunities, or just
love to network with other professionals, take a look at the award-winning employers at BestCompaniesAZ.com.
Find your new career at one of these Best Companies:
Charles Schwab | Dignity Health | USAA | Progrexion | Vanguard | GoDaddy | Direct Energy | Vixxo
Hyatt Regency Phoenix | Habitat for Humanity | Better Business Bureau | Spear Education | Markitors

480.545.5151

www.BestCompaniesAZ.com

TopCompanies.AZcentral.com | TOP COMPA NIES 2017 | 11

LARGE COMPANY RANKING U.S. 1,000 and more employees

1connects
with clients,

# Protiviti

employees
BY DEBRA GELBART

Protiviti, a global consulting firm
that has an office in Phoenix, has built a
name for itself by helping companies manage risks in all aspects of their business
and develop strategies for risk mitigation.

UNIQUE AREAS OF EXPERTISE
The company, with its tagline “Face the
Future with Confidence,” delivers “expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach
and collaboration to help leaders confidently
face the future,” said Alex Robison, managing director for Protiviti in Phoenix. Protiviti
and its independently owned member firms
provide consulting solutions in finance,
technology, operations, data, analytics,
governance, risk and internal audit to
clients through a network of more than
70 offices in over 20 countries. Protiviti is
a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half.
The company also offers digital transformation expertise, “an area of increasing
client demand,” Robison said. “Successful digital transformation efforts always
start with a clear understanding of client
strategy, current and future state operating
models and risk appetite. We help organizational leaders consider the impact of digitization on people and processes, including

RICK D’ELIA

how easily the culture of the organization
and behavior of employees will change for
the better.”
The company’s global workforce includes
approximately 4,500 people, Robison said.
“Locally,” he added, “we currently have a
team of over 50 people. We’re always on
the look-out for great talent, in particular,
experienced professionals with backgrounds
in IT security, healthcare and financial
services.”

BENEFITS OF JOINING THE TEAM
One of the most distinctive benefits the
company offers is its paid sabbatical

program, which gives employees the
opportunity to take one to three months
away from work to pursue personal interests. “We also understand the importance
of work-life balance and family and are
always willing to help working parents with
flexible work arrangements and additional
parenting benefits like backup childcare,”
Robison said.
Protiviti’s other benefits include a frequent
travel rewards program; a recognition program;
tuition reimbursement; and an employee
assistance program. “Protiviti clearly appreciates its employees by offering an array
of benefits,” he said. “You’re definitely not

‘just a number’ within this firm. Employees
feel appreciated and seen.”
Besides putting an emphasis on work/life
balance, he explained, “we believe strongly
in the importance of innovation, especially
through shared learning and collaboration.
We also have a deeply rooted culture of
mentoring to help our people develop and
grow their careers.” In addition, he said,
“we offer several office committees and
employee networking groups that focus on
initiatives such as diversity and inclusion,
social events, physical fitness and giving
back to the community.”

12 | TOP COMPA NIES 2017

LARGE COMPANY RANKING U.S. 1,000 and more employees

2USAA

#

BY DEBRA GELBART

USAA provides insurance, banking,
investments, retirement products and advice
to more than 11 million members.
“We’re known for our legendary commitment to our members, and are consistently
recognized for outstanding service, financial strength and employee well-being,”
said Gay Meyer, assistant vice president
of human resource operations at the
Phoenix Campus of USAA.
USAA is unlike any other financial services
organization, she points out. “When you

join us, you’ll become part of a thriving
community committed to going above
for those who have gone beyond: the
men and women of the U.S. military, their
associates and their families. In order to
play a role on our team, you don’t have
to be connected to the military yourself—
you just need to share our passion for
serving our members.”
Exceptional employee benefits include
a new parental leave policy that provides
new mothers with up to 18 paid weeks
off and new fathers up to 12 paid weeks
off. A host of work/life balance benefits;
and an education assistance program that
employees can take advantage of on day
one of employment. It can be used to pursue certifications or designations related
to work, as well as full academic degrees.
In addition, employees receive up to two
days of paid time per year to volunteer
for charitable causes of their choosing.

RICK D’ELIA

3 Companies, Inc.

# McCarthy Building
BY JOAN WESTLAKE

McCarthy was founded as a family business more than 150 years ago, today
it is 100 percent employee-owned and the oldest American-owned construction company
in the United States.
Recognized for its career training and development programs, the company strives to
develop talent from within. McCarthy has been recognized for its healthy-living program,
which includes discounts on medical premiums and one premium-free month a year.
“Our team believes that we’re all in this together and helping others is everyone’s
responsibility,” Justin Kelton, president of McCarthy Building Companies Southwest Division. “So, in Arizona, we created the McCarthy Heart Hats, the volunteer-based community outreach arm of our Southwest Division. It’s a fun way to engage employees and their
families in efforts that support those in need in our community, while strengthening our
own employee-owner family through good work and raising the bar within our industry
by encouraging others to do the same.”
RICK D’ELIA

LA-Z-BOY® FURNITURE GALLERIES OF ARIZONA
AZ EMPLOYEES: 240

Ed Breunig III,
Owner & CEO

lazboy.com/arizona

4135 E. Cotton Center Blvd.,
Phoenix, AZ 85040

602-426-5292

F

or La-Z-Boy® Furniture Galleries
of Arizona, “improvement” isn’t
just what comes after “home”—it’s
a key part of the company ethos to
continuously improve.
One of the 34-year-old business’s key
differentiators from other retailers is its
employees, who are extremely dedicated to
enhancing and improving the lives of those
around them—in and out of the stores. One
way staff members do so is through an active
relationship with local charity organizations.
According to Jennifer Chandos, brand
engagement manager, La-Z-Boy® Furniture
Galleries of Arizona’s employees put in 4,200
volunteer hours in 2016. This year, they’re
on pace to beat that number.
Through its CHAIRities Committee
(the name nods to the company’s furniture
business, of course) employees have
volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House
Charities, taught children water safety in
partnership with the Drowning Prevention
Coalition of Arizona and organized massive
pajama drives that have collected over 1,000
items for children in crisis.
Chandos said the original idea for the
CHAIRities Committee actually came
from employees themselves, something
else that makes the organization unique.
“We look closely at every idea submitted
by employees,” she said. Another program
sparked by an employee idea that has come
to fruition is an employee assistance fund,
to help co-workers in times of financial
crisis, Chandos said. It is now a 501(c)(3)
organization run by the employees.
This openness to ideas from diverse
members of the organization has helped the
business to be a cut above the rest. Out of
the 300 La-Z-Boy® Furniture Galleries in
the US, the top four stores are in Arizona—
and that’s no accident. “We’re definitely a
winning organization,” Chandos said. “But
we want to make sure that we’re winning
the right way, in a way that improves our
customers’ and employees’ lives every step
of the way.” Employees have to put their
thinking caps on to make sure the customer

experience is seamless, fulfilling, and
ultimately enjoyable.
One particular experience that stood
out for Kathy Till, vice president of human
resources and development, in her 20year tenure with the company, was when
a customer came to the store looking for
a sofa. A dedicated sales associate worked
with the customer at her home along with a
professional interior designer (a free service
available to clients in Arizona) and helped
create a living space she could feel proud of.
“After completion of the room, the customer
went back to the store and said, ‘in the past,
I’ve been embarrassed about having people
to my home,’” said Till. “For the first time in
my life, I’m proud to invite people over.’ That
story is the epitome of who we are and why
we do what we do.”
When hiring for its 10 locations, Till
said that La-Z-Boy® Furniture Galleries of

Arizona looks for candidates who expect
to make a contribution through new ideas
to improve the work. “We realized that the
only way we can [continually] be better is by
having a diverse group of people that work
here,” said Till. “In their initial three-week
orientation period we ask the employees to
become a part of the team by committing to
bringing ideas to the table.”
Over the years, some of those ideas have
included the implementation of two-person
teams on the sales floor to make sure that
regardless of who is working, all customers
will be able to interact with someone
familiar. “Our warehouse employees work
as a team on salary and are rewarded for
efficiency by going home when their work is
complete,” Till said. “Last year they averaged
six and a half hours per day and were paid
for eight hours. This idea came by warehouse
employees collaborating.”

There are a number of reasons that the
organization’s 240 employees feel so invested
in the business, including the generous
incentives provided by the company. La-ZBoy® Furniture Galleries of Arizona strives
for a work-life balance through a four-day
work week. In addition to paid vacation,
each employee received a $1,000 vacation
fund in 2016. For the last five years, there
has not been an increase in the employeeonly insurance premium and according
to Till, “the company has a profit-sharing
plan and a 401(K) match to a maximum of
$10,000.”
“We never settle for status quo,” Till said.
“This comes from our owner. When we talk
about our 240 employees, we’re talking about
240 families, and every decision we make
affects them. So we make sure that we’re
always giving back to our employees.” n

14 | TOP COMPA NIES 2017

MEDIUM COMPANY RANKING U.S. 100 – 999 employees

1the ‘resort

# Becoming
of choice’
BY DEBRA GELBART

The Fairmont Scottsdale
Princess resort aims to be “Scottsdale’s
resort of choice,” said Jack Miller, the
property’s general manager. The resort’s
Legacy Events such as Christmas at the
Princess, Summer at the Princess and

4th of July Freedom Fest, “have given us
a unique way to invite the community to
be part of our family, creating new traditions and memorable experiences for local
residents and visitors. Our colleagues are
proud to work at a place known for its
innovation, beautiful setting and worldclass offerings.”
Since 1987, the Princess has been a crown
jewel in the Sonoran Desert, with a relaxed
elegance, lush gardens and lagoons and
extraordinary dining from La Hacienda and
Marquesa. Guests also can enjoy the modern Bourbon Steak, The Plaza Bar and the
new Toro Latin Restaurant and Rum Bar
at the TPC Scottsdale. The 44,000 sq. ft.
Well & Being Spa, one of the most notable
spas in the country, could be considered
a destination and sanctuary all its own.

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS
This summer, the resort is kicking off its 30th
anniversary celebration with the Summer

Splash Birthday Bash at the Princess,
where every child receives a birthday gift
at the kids’ check-in desk, plus $30 special
offers in the restaurants and spa through
Labor Day weekend. It’s a look back with
decade-themed pool parties and a look
to the future, with new Technobot robots,
Beta and Blast, greeting guests in the lobby
this summer.
By continually adding new facilities, offerings and unique experiences, the
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess has continued
to evolve, Miller said. One constant for the
resort is its AAA Five Diamond rating, which
it has achieved for 26 consecutive years.
The resort’s family-oriented team members are referred to as the “Titans,” based
on the movie “Remember the Titans.” Miller’s pep rallies and inspiring speeches to
colleagues revolve around the core values
of respect, teamwork, integrity, accountability and excellence, which all permeate
the culture from the leaders to the line-level
colleagues.

TRAINING IN PEOPLE
All colleagues go through Service Culture
training included in a two-day hotel orientation. The resort offers a SUMMIT training
program for leadership training and mentorship throughout colleagues’ careers.
The TAG committee (Titans Always Give)
focuses on philanthropic activities devoted
to community service and emphasizing
a different local organization or cause each
quarter that has touched the community
or a colleague.
“We hire colleagues who want to serve our
guests, and everyone creates the success
of our hotel,” Miller said. “You can’t walk
down the hallway without someone smiling,
calling you by name and asking about your
family. This is not just a great place to work;
this is our colleagues’ second home and
support system. We live by the idea that if
we treat our colleagues with respect they
will do the same for our guests.”

TopCompanies.AZcentral.com | TOP COMPA NIES 2017 | 15

MEDIUM COMPANY RANKING U.S. 100 – 999 employees

3 Technologies

# Sentinel

BY JOAN WESTLAKE

“In the constantly evolving field of technology,
building and maintaining a positive employee environment is essential to attracting and
retaining the most talented people,” said Brad Faubion, Western Region Manager for
Sentinel Technologies.
“Providing the highest quality service and solutions to our customers is our primary
mission, so it is imperative that we have employees who are driven to always stay ahead
of fast-paced change and maintain a deep passion for delivering the best customer
service.”
Faubion adds that Sentinel offers an amenity-rich corporate culture, competitive
salaries and a first-class benefits plan. The business casual office with an open-door
management philosophy sponsors biggest loser contests; charity events; health and
wellness biometric screenings; healthy cooking contests; employee appreciation barbecues, breakfasts, and social hours; and employee and spouse appreciation holiday
parties. There also are programs designed to foster good compensation, character,
mentoring of peers, teamwork, and revenue generation.

RICK D’ELIA

2

# Jennings,
Strouss & Salmon

BY JOAN WESTLAKE

Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, founded in Phoenix
in 1942, has the talent and insight to address a wide-range of business legal issues.
“We believe that retaining motivated employees is vital to the success of the firm and
its clients; therefore, we place a high degree of importance on systems and programs
that retain talent,” said John C. Norling, JS&S managing attorney. “Competitive pay,
a wide-spectrum of benefits including employee recognition, professional development
and a culture built on collaboration are integral to maintaining employee satisfaction.”
The firm also recognizes that a positive work environment means that its employees
have a voice. When they wanted to make a more significant impact on problems in
underserved communities, the Jennings Strouss Foundation was created.
“And, we know how to have fun!” Norling said. “Throughout the year, the firm hosts
events including birthday celebrations, ice cream socials, themed luncheons and
competitions, such as mini golf tournaments.”

BROCK ELLIOTT

16 | TOP COMPA NIES 2017

SMALL COMPANY RANKING U.S. 25 – 99 Employees

1Methods

# Equity

grows in
scope
BY DEBRA GELBART

Equity Methods is a top
provider of valuation, financial reporting and
human resources advisory services related
to equity compensation and other complex
securities.
“To clients, we aspire to be known for
going the distance—taking on tough problems and bringing analytical clarity and a
frictionless client service experience,” said
Takis Makridis, President and CEO. “To
our own team members, we want to be a
source of mentoring, coaching and development, while building an organizational
context that’s low on politics and long on
substance. We want to help great people
achieve excellence, and we want to impact
the lives of our clients by giving them the
very best we have to offer.”

RECOGNITION—AGAIN
For the third year in a row, the company
has been rated number one in client satisfaction in the Group Five (the stock plan

RICK D’ELIA

industry’s leading independent research
organization) Stock Plan Administration and
Financial Reporting Benchmarking Survey.
It’s the second year in a row the company
achieved a 100 percent client satisfaction
rating. “We’re very excited about this
honor,” he said.
The competitive landscape is constantly
changing, he said. “We’re constantly adapting
our core services in keeping with macro
trends. We’ve introduced some entirely
new categories of services. For example,
we’re working much more closely with compensation executives to help them structure
their pay programs more thoughtfully. We’re
also branching outside of the compensation space to help companies value other
exotic financial instruments they use.”

VALUING EMPLOYEES
Unlike many consulting firms, Equity
Methods tries to give less-experienced
employees direct exposure to clients. “This
builds empathy because they see firsthand
the people they’re helping,” Makridis said.
“It adds a lot of fulfillment to their roles.”
The company’s work environment is
often casual. “We have a relaxed and
informal internal etiquette,” he said. “We
take our work extremely seriously, but we
don’t take ourselves seriously. People value
being able to be themselves so that they
can focus on doing high-impact work for
clients.”
The company stresses to employees
that “client outcomes matter. We need

to earn and re-earn their trust every
single day through the micro and macro
decisions we make. This is important not
only to pay the bills, but because there’s
something intrinsically important about
doing the very best you can and pursuing
excellence. Excellence is very core to
the culture—it has inherent meaning.”
Equity Methods also emphasizes “that
we are a team and that our competition
is far outside the four walls of our office.
Consulting firms are known for internal
competition, and we want to shatter that
paradigm. The culture is performanceoriented, but for anyone with the aptitude
and the willingness to learn, we want to
mentor and invest as much as possible.”

TopCompanies.AZcentral.com | TOP COMPA NIES 2017 | 17

SMALL COMPANY RANKING U.S. 25 – 99 Employees

2

# MRA
Associates
BY JOAN WESTLAKE

MRA Associates,
a boutique, registered investment advisor
with large firm experience, is headquartered in Phoenix. With more than 40
professionals and support staff, the
firm has earned the prestigious CEFEX
certification, an independent assessment
that recognizes that the firm adheres
to the industry’s best fiduciary practices.

Offering a culture of learning, MRA
provides lunch-and-learn opportunities,
expense-paid education programs for employees to attain additional certifications,
productivity/time management seminars
as well as onsite personal development
and stress management workshops.
Additional staff benefits include company charity events, staff and holiday parties
during work hours, half-day Fridays, monthly
birthday celebrations, a floating holiday
for birthdays, a flexible work schedule
that allows for emergencies and a break
room with limitless snacks and beverages. To help staff attain a desirable work/
life balance, the firm limits meetings and
staff events to standard work hours. An
employer-sponsored Employee Assistance
Program provides personal counseling
and assistance.

RICK D’ELIA

3 Partners, LLC

# NextNet

BY JOAN WESTLAKE

NextNet Partners, headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, is an
IT Consulting Company that is NMSDC-certified and a minority-owned small business.
With stated core values of People First, Candor, Empowerment, Frugality, Teamwork,
Giving Back, Fearlessness and Growth/Results Driven, the firm’s employee benefits
include 100 percent of healthcare benefit costs for team members and their families;
a flexible work environment so that team members can work remotely; and a fun office
environment with regular company potlucks, family events and charity volunteer team
building.
“Working at NextNet Partners has been life-changing! I have work/life balance for
the first time in my life—and I absolutely love my job,” said Courtnee Chang, senior client
success manager.
Mike Garrity, director of customer collaboration, said, “NextNet provides an environment
where team members flourish through collaboration, while it celebrates our individual
talents and personalities. We truly live by our core values and have a great time.”

RICK D’ELIA

18 | TOP COMPA NIES 2017

DIVERSITY INITIATIVE SPOTLIGHT

At USAA, embracing diver-

1collective
strength of

# Diversity is

sity in the workforce isn’t a slogan or a
catchphrase. It’s a corporate value demonstrated every day by the more than 4,400
employees based at the Phoenix Campus
and nearly 26,000 other employees located
around the country.
USAA seeks to attract, develop and
retain diverse talent at all levels, said Gay
Meyer, assistant vice president of human resource operations at the Phoenix
Campus of USAA. To promote a diverse
workforce, USAA collaborates
with a variety of organizations,
institutions and colleges to
source talent; provides rich
career development programs and internal
mobility opportunities; offers flexible work
options and exceptional benefits; and
maintains Affirmative Action programs.

characteristics
at USAA
BY DEBRA GELBART

STANDARD OF INCLUSION
Meyer points out that diversity is defined
broadly as the collective strength of unique
characteristics, experiences, skills, backgrounds, perspectives and cultures. “Inclusion is the standard of behavior necessary
to foster an environment that unlocks the
creativity and diversity of thought so that
employees can be as successful as possible,” she said.
To support its diversity and inclusion
goals and demonstrate leadership commitment and business accountability, USAA
maintains an Executive Diversity Advisory
Group. This is a group of executives from
all lines of business whose role is to provide the business and leadership direction
necessary in advancing USAA’s diversity
and inclusion strategy while ensuring alignment with business priorities.

DIVERSITY RESOURCES
Staff members can participate in employee
resource groups—officially called Diversity

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Business Groups—which are inclusive
company-sponsored networks of employees who come together to promote diversity and inclusion while focusing on
a specific business purpose. Any employee
can participate in DBGs, which are intended
as extensions of the business to assist in
turning employee knowledge and diversity
into measurable value for the association.
Though they come to the company with
different backgrounds and work experience, all employees are unified in carrying
out the mission of USAA. From the moment
employees become part of the USAA
family, they are immersed in a culture that
“profoundly embraces the service and
sacrifices made by those whom the organization serves—the men and women of the
U.S. military and their families,” Meyer said.
The company’s diversity and inclusion credo is “Many Faces. One Mission.” “Having
the opportunity to serve the financial needs
of those who serve the country is an honor
for all of us,” she said.

CREDIT UNION WEST
AZ EMPLOYEES: 176

Bob MacGregor,
President/CEO

cuwest.org

P.O. Box 7600
Glendale, AZ

800-621-0287

C

redit Union West is no stranger to
winning. In fact, this is the fifth year
in a row that the organization has
been honored as a top company of
Arizona—which is no small feat.
“I’m over the moon about it,” Bob
MacGregor, CEO of Credit Union West said.
“What we’ve been trying to do here is create a
great place to work and grow as an employee,
and because this is our 5th consecutive award
it just means that much more. So I think we’re
doing something right.”
MacGregor’s deeply held belief is that
“happy employees make happy members,” an
often repeated refrain that informs the way the
organization does business.
“Our main goal, as a cooperative financial
institution that is owned by our members, is
to keep our members happy,” he said. “It’s my
belief, that’s been proven for five years now,
that happy employees make happy members.
So, it’s in our best interest to keep employees
happy.”
Credit Union West does so by offering
competitive compensation and benefit
packages, including picking up 100% of the
tab for healthcare coverage for employees
and around 75% of the bill for children
of employees, according to executive vice
president Karen Roch. The organization also
holds an annual employee appreciation event
during which branches are shut down early so
the 200 workers can participate in fun, team
building activities. This year, workers banded
together to build bicycles that were donated to
HonorHealth Desert Mission.
“Everybody had so much fun,” Roch said.
“We’ve had events in the past where we’ve
given out gifts [to the employees] and received
comments from staff that said, ‘Keep the gifts,
this was so rewarding. We’re so happy you guys
did this, keep it up!’”
More importantly, however, the company
keeps employees satisfied by enlisting their
thoughts through an open door policy.
“Our culture is really open door,” she said.
“Any employee can go in and talk to our CEO
and it’s the same with our senior management.”

MacGregor elaborated that this aspect of
the company culture is a top priority.
“It’s all about being transparent with
everybody,” he said. “We have very few
things that as a CEO I can’t talk about with
the newest entry level employee. I think
sharing what we’re doing and how we’re
doing it with all of our staff makes them feel
more a part of the organization and really
there’s no reason not to. Being all inclusive
and including your employees really helps
to keep them happy and therefore keep the
members happy.”
Seeking ideas from employees from interns
to associates has also helped to make the
business itself better. For example, a group
of employees formed an efficiency task force,
MacGregor said, and senior management
utilizes the task force for opinions and ideas
on where to make improvements in the
organization.

MACGREGOR’S DEEPLY
HELD BELIEF IS THAT
“HAPPY EMPLOYEES
MAKE HAPPY
MEMBERS.”
“Wow, has that ever paid off,” he said.
“Not only getting their involvement, but also
making us much more efficient by improving
various processes and procedures.”
Credit Union West, which serves residents
in Maricopa and Yavapai County at its 12
locations, offers a number of unique products.
Members can earn up to a 2.51 annual
percentage yield in checking accounts

held with Credit Union West, Roch said.
Additionally, Credit Union West has
introduced another checking account option
for those that carry smaller balances. If they
meet a minimum amount of monthly debit
card transactions, elect to receive e-statements
and enroll in direct deposit, they receive $8 per
month from Credit Union West, she said.
Ultimately, a long history in the community
and a focus teamwork empowers employees to
help members make the best decisions for them.
“For us, it’s not about how many products
and services a member has to have, it’s about
what products and services are going to benefit
our members” Roch said. “We work with our
members to select the right products and
services for their needs and save them money in
the process, that’s what’s it’s all about. Because
that’s giving back to our members and making
their quality of life better, and that’s what we
really try to train our employees to do.” n

20 | TOP COMPA NIES 2017

WOMEN’S INITIATIVE SPOTLIGHT

RICK D’ELIA

Charles Schwab

Charles
Schwab,
a champion
of Women’s
Initiatives

1

#

BY DEBRA GELBART

& Co., the full-service investment services
firm that began in the 1970s as a “disruptive
influence” on Wall Street providing discount
brokerage services to consumers, has long
been known for offering many opportunities
for women’s advancement.
Schwab has grown into a giant but always
client-focused company that values its employees enormously. Schwab has approximately 3,600 employees in Arizona, most
of whom are located in Phoenix. Of the
approximately 16,000 employees across
the U.S., nearly 40 percent are women.
Schwab operates more than 335 retail
branch offices nationwide and has 10.4
million active brokerage accounts, 1.5 million corporate retirement plan participants,
1.1 million banking accounts, and $2.95
trillion in client assets as of April 30, 2017.

EDUCATION AND MENTORING
Among numerous employee resource
groups at Schwab, one is called the
Women’s Interactive Network at Schwab
(WINS), with more than 2,000 members.
“This group provides educational and
mentoring opportunities, community
service and extensive networking opportunities,” said Sarah Bulgatz, Schwab
director of public relations in San Francisco.
“Life at Schwab is inclusive, a place
where people with different interests and
different backgrounds can work together
in an atmosphere of mutual trust and
respect,” Bulgatz said. “Schwab fosters
a culture of diversity and inclusion by
promoting a strong sense of community
within the company.”
The company’s commitment to building
an inclusive environment where everyone
feels valued “is what sets us apart,” she

added. “Schwab is dedicated to maintaining a dynamic organization and culture
of service that reflect the individual
strengths of every person in the company.

PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERIENCES
“Through diversity we gain a wider range
of perspectives and experiences, which
benefits everyone and helps us ‘see through
clients’ eyes.’ And by seeing our business
through the eyes of our clients, we are able to
deliver the best client experience possible.” In
recognition of Schwab’s inclusive culture, the
company has received a 100-percent rating
on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate
Equality Index since 2004.
Women today find significant opportunities in the financial services field, Bulgatz
said. “What better firm to join than one that’s
so focused on seeing the world through its
clients’ eyes and helping its clients achieve
their financial dreams?”

TAYLOR MORRISON
AZ EMPLOYEES: 232

F

Sheryl Palmer,
Chairman, President & CEO

or homebuilder Taylor Morrison, a
“people first” focus is the foundation of
its business and the key to its success—
for both its customers and employees.
Brad Schoenberg, division president for
Taylor Morrison’s Phoenix Division, said the
organization’s people-centric approach is
what allows it to differentiate itself and deliver
a quality product to its customers every time.
In fact, the organization has won
numerous accolades showing that its
approach works, including being named
America’s Most Trusted® Home Builder
by Lifestory Research in 2016 and 2017,
and distinguishing itself as the number
one homebuilder by closing volume in the
Phoenix area in 2016.
“It starts at the top with our CEO, Sheryl
Palmer. We have a very open and transparent
company and it filters down to the divisions
across the country to incorporate those

taylormorrison.com

9000 E. Pima Center Pkwy.,
#350, Scottsdale, AZ 85258

best practices,” Schoenberg said. “It doesn’t
matter what level or position you’re in [at]
the company, your voice is equally important.
We want all of our team members to feel
empowered in all aspects of their job—
everyone can do great things if they’re given
the right tools to do so.”
“We work hard to make sure that our
team members have what they need to do
their jobs to the best of their ability while
also remaining focused on delivering very
high quality products and experiences to
our homebuyers,” he said. “We recognize
that buying a home is possibly the largest
purchase our customers may ever make.
It’s a responsibility that we take seriously,
and we all work together to make sure that
the experience is second to none. Helping
build a home for a family is a privilege and
honor, and I think that helps inspire our team
mentality.”

480-344-7000

Schoenberg noted that the company provides
a wide range of employee benefits including
excellent compensation, great healthcare, flexible
hours and recognizing standout workers.
“We try to reward people with as much
recognition as possible,” he said. “Not just for
hitting their numeric goals, but for also being
a good teammate, colleague or friend.
Taylor Morrison just rolled out its
new employee brand: TMLiving, which
encompasses programs that fall under three
tenets: Spirit & Pride, Community & Giving,
and Health & Wellness, helping to continue the
focus on the overall employee experience, not
just the bottom line.
“Taylor Morrison is more than just
homebuilding,” Schoenberg explained.
“TMLiving allows us to showcase all of the
incredible things that are happening across our
organization that make us a true employer of
choice. Having a balance is key to creating a

great work environment.”
And with that idea of work-life balance,
comes the company philosophy of “work
hard, play hard,” which counts having fun as
an important part of doing business.
Schoenberg recounts a recent outing, after
the Phoenix division won an internal award
called the TM Cup, as one that stood out.
The team went out for a day of golfing, spa
treatments and lounging on a lazy river as a
well-deserved reward for their hard work —
talk about a fun day at the office!
Ultimately, those team building moments
motivate the group to turn around and
continue delivering exceptional service to its
clients and keep performing at a top level.
“We really believe that we’re only as good
as the last home or building experience that
we delivered to a family. We didn’t get there
by diving into the deep end, it was about
building one home at a time.” n

22 | TOP COMPA NIES 2017

TOP COMPANIES TO WORK FOR
LARGE COMPANY RANKINGS U.S. 1,000 and more employees

1. PROTIVITI
INDUSTRY: Business Consulting
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 2,000/55+
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Joseph Tarantino,
President and CEO
WEBSITE: Protiviti.com
Protiviti’s work-life solutions are the core of
its employee-friendly corporate culture. The
company is flexible with time off for school
events, medical appointments and offers
a special awards program for employees
spending significant time away from home.
The company recognizes employees through
a bonus program, employee recognition
awards and special events to celebrate
project milestones, and offers a sabbatical
program to employees who have been with
the company for at least 12 months.

2. USAA
INDUSTRY: Financial Services
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 30,506/4,309
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Stuart Parker,
President and CEO
WEBSITE: USAA.com
Keeping employees fit, healthy and happy
is a primary concern at USAA. Staff
can enjoy a free, on-site fitness center,
a recreation facility that includes a covered
basketball court, outdoor volleyball quad,
and jogging/walking trails and employee
break areas featuring fitness equipment
and game play requiring physical movement. There is a health services clinic
and employees can enjoy 50 percent off
healthy food choices in the USAA Cafe.

Committed to the safety and well-being of
its employees, McCarthy promotes healthy
lifestyle choices through fitness and diet
challenges, online classes and monthly
wellness activities. On-site health screenings and flu shots are available to every
employee and spouse. To maintain a culture
of growth and opportunity, McCarthy offers
extensive training and opportunities for
career development plus a generous
bonus program for all salaried employees.

4. RYAN, LLC
INDUSTRY: Tax Services
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 1,513/94
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: G. Brint Ryan,
Chairman and CEO
WEBSITE: mccarthy.com
With an emphasis on knowledge and leadership, Ryan offers a custom curriculum for
team members at every level, as well as a
Senior Consultant Learning Plan designed
to prepare professionals for high-level
leadership. Ryan’s flexible, results-oriented
workplace program encourages employees
to balance their work life and personal life.
Through Ryan’s wellness program, Go365,
employees are rewarded for making healthy
choices. Staff receive free monthly wellness
newsletters featuring health-related topics.

6. AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
INDUSTRY: Construction
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 1,095/117
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Gary Moore, President
WEBSITE: atirestoration.com
ATI is a national leader in restoration, environmental remediation and reconstruction.
We are proud to be the nation’s largest
family-owned restoration contractor. The
Moore family and ATI strive to provide a
workplace that embraces the family spirit.
We want to take care of each other and
work toward a better purpose. ATI provides
flexible hours to allow for changes in family
schedules. We recognize each employee
for their hard work so we offer quarterly
bonuses to all employees. We organize
company barbecues and family style
carnivals to make the workplace fun and
as a general contractor we take safety very
seriously so we offer employees a company sponsored lunch every 30 days that we
go without an accident.

7. CBIZ
INDUSTRY: Accounting
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 4,686/140
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix, Tucson
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Jerome Grisko,
CEO and President
WEBSITE: cbiz.com
CBIZ encourages employees to achieve
their highest potential throughout the year.
During the busiest seasons, the company
provides lunches, dinners and snacks,
and brings in massage therapists to help
employees relax and de-stress. Employee
Appreciation Day includes activities such
as senior officers serving lunch to the
employees, games played in the parking
lot or leaving gifts on employees’ desks.

8. EDWARD JONES
INDUSTRY: Financial Services - Other
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 41,350/1,359
ARIZONA LOCATION: Tempe
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Jim Weddle,
Managing Partner
WEBSITE: edwardjones.com
At Edward Jones, focus on clients is the
key to the firm’s success. Exceptional
client service is paramount, and associates have meaningful work that makes a
difference in clients’ lives. Each branch
office includes one financial advisor and
one branch office administrator who work
directly with clients and receive dedicated support from the firm’s headquarters.
Every associate has an opportunity to
become an owner in the firm; there are
more than 19,000 limited partners. Volunteerism is encouraged, leaders are easily
accessible, and giveaways and contests
include Super Bowl trips and tickets to
local events.

9. CAMDEN PROPERTY TRUST
INDUSTRY: Property Management
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 1,590/67
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Ric Campo, CEO
WEBSITE: camdenliving.com
Camden values its employees through
a peer recognition program and award
ceremony called Achieving Camden Excellence (ACE). The company offers Employee
Appreciation Team Days, company-wide
sports leagues and Employee Vacation
Suites allowing staff to stay in fully furnished apartments while on vacation for $20
a night. To offer career development,
Camden provides Camden University,
a role specific degree program with developing key skills and competencies to help
team members become more successful.

VI
AZ EMPLOYEES: 450

RANDY RICHARDSON,
PRESIDENT

jobs.viliving.com

23005 N. 74th St., Scottsdale
7501 E. Thompson Peak Pkwy., Scottsdale

480-478-6100

F

or employees at Vi, it’s much more
than having a job – it’s a career.
The distinction, to them and their
managers, is an important one: Good
work here impacts lives.
A collection of 10 continuing care
retirement communities across the nation
– including two in Scottsdale – Vi provides
five-star living for its residents. In addition to
providing quality care, residents also enjoy a
luxurious lifestyle and cuisine that resemble
what’s offered at a resort. It’s a high bar to meet,
and one that employees enjoy surpassing daily.
“It’s important for people to understand
that Vi is a company that loves to educate and
promote from within,” said Jill Wolverton,
Executive Director of Vi at Silverstone in
Scottsdale. “I’m an example of that. I started
as an Associate Executive Director at our
community in Naples. Within a year, I was
here at Silverstone in Arizona.”
Promoting from within, providing training
and investing in employees are foundational
philosophies of Vi’s culture. They’re among
the many reasons why employee retention is
strong – better than many other employers in
the senior living industry.
“It’s not just a meaningful place for
employees to contribute to the lives of
residents, we also want to give them
opportunities to grow,” said Judy Whitcomb,
Senior Vice President and Learning at Vi.
“Our average employee retention is six years.
It’s one of the best retention rates in the senior
living industry. We know that coming to work
is about more than a paycheck or benefits. It’s
also about the employees feeling invested in.”
Vi’s employees work at 10 locations across
the country, from San Diego to Naples, Florida.
Those 3,000 employees serve 3,700+ residents,
providing resident care services in addition to
lifestyle services.
“When you look at Vi and the careers
we have, it’s a combination of hospitality
and resident care,” Whitcomb said. “We
have positions that range from servers and
concierges to nurses. In fact, one-third of our
employees are care providers.”

Employees who choose a career path in
one of Vi’s care centers are likely looking at
work that involves the 24-hour health and
well-being of residents.
Independent living residents interact with
Vi employees in areas beyond resident care. Vi
employs fitness instructors, lifestyle directors,
drivers and coordinators who help direct and
manage a portfolio of amenities for residents.
Professionals interested in pursuing careers
in the culinary field can work as a pastry chef,
line cook or sous chef, among others.
“There are so many careers here, so many
different disciplines,” Wolverton said. “And
all these positions come together to make our
communities beautiful for residents.”
Vi also wants to create a best-in-class
working environment for employees. As a
result, residents will interact with staff members
they know, like and trust, rather than seeing a
continual overturn of employees who have no
personal connection. These relationships, both

Wolverton and Whitcomb say, are critical to
both resident and employee satisfaction.
“We know that continuity matters to
residents,” Whitcomb said. “We know that
it’s a big decision to move to a senior living
community. People want to know that the
people serving them are going to be consistent.
They want to be able to count on them. That
connection matters.”
In fact, in both of Vi’s Scottsdale
communities, residents felt such a strong
connection with employees, they have
generously created scholarship programs to help
employees and their children pay for college.
If an employee wants to advance, Vi has
programs to help them achieve including a
generous tuition reimbursement program.
For seven straight years, Vi has been
recognized as one of Training magazine’s top 125
organizations. This year, Chief Learning Officer
magazine ranked Vi number four on its list of
LearningElite organizations. And Vi has been

classified as a “Learning 100” organization by
E-Learning magazine for the past seven years.
Vi offers thousands of online learning
classes for employees to access. Employees are
encouraged to enroll in certification programs
to advance their skills and potential. They can
also take Rosetta Stone classes free of charge.
Tuition reimbursement programs also are
available, and for employees who are interested in
management or leadership, Vi offers three oneyear programs – the Management Development
Program, the Emerging Leaders Program and
the Breakthrough Leadership Program – to help
develop the skills necessary for managers.
“I value the fact that we put an emphasis
on bench strength,” Wolverton said. “It’s not
common to hire people to be ready for when
a position opens in the future. It’s a great
testament to how our company values our
talent. And I’ve seen it at every level. We look
within first, always. We’re asking, ‘Is there
someone who’s ready?’” n

24 | TOP COMPA NIES 2017

TOP COMPANIES TO WORK FOR
LARGE COMPANY RANKINGS U.S. 1,000 and more employees

10. GRANT THORNTON LLP
INDUSTRY: Accounting
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 8,560/70
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Mike McGuire CEO
WEBSITE: grantthornton.com
Grant Thornton offers a flexible work
schedule for all employees including
flexible time off. The company provides
12 weeks of Paid Parental Leave for
primary caregivers and two weeks of Paid
Parental Leave for non-primary caregivers.
A program titled Women at Grant Thornton
enhances the recruitment, retention and
advancement of women into leadership
positions.

12. DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES
INDUSTRY: Financial Services - Other
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 14,271/2,736
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: David Nelms,
Chairman & CEO
WEBSITE: discover.com
Discover is a direct banking and payment
services company. Since its inception in
1986, the company has become one of the

largest card issuers in the United States.
The company issues the Discover card,
and offers private student loans, personal loans, home equity loans, checking
and savings accounts and certificates of
deposit through its direct banking business. Discover provides many benefits for
employees which include tuition reimbursement, maternity and paternity leave, and
various professional development opportunities. All Discover employees begin their
career with the company with 20 to 25
Paid Time Off (PTO) days, that are prorated
depending on start date. Discover’s Phoenix customer care center is home to many
amenities including an onsite state-of-theart fitness center that features free weights,
cardio machines and aerobic classes.

13. CDW
INDUSTRY: Technology
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 6,854/228
ARIZONA LOCATION: Chandler
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Thomas Richards,
Chairman, CEO and President
WEBSITE: cdw.com
Perks abound at CDW including bagel
Wednesdays, a coworker appreciation day
event each year, holiday bears for dependents and ice cream Fridays. Account
managers have the ability to earn unlimited
commissions and sales incentive programs
while non-sales supervisors, managers
and senior managers can earn annual and
quarterly bonuses based on personal and
company performance. All coworkers below director level are eligible for an annual
holiday bonus.

Stryker promotes healthy lifestyle choices
by providing an on-site gym. To promote
a fun, upbeat environment, the company
hosts a year-long Olympic contest. Employees find time to unwind on food truck
Fridays and by participating in Stryker’s
hiking and running groups.

16. VI AT SILVERSTONE
INDUSTRY: Senior Living
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 3,000/500
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Randy Richardson,
President
WEBSITE: viliving.com
Vi provides employees award-winning
training and development opportunities
including access several thousand online
courses including management courses
through Harvard Business Publishing and
free language training through Rosetta
Stone. Vi offers a wide-range of management and leadership development
programs along with numerous certification programs and a generous tuition
reimbursement program. Vi’s comprehensive benefits program includes a 401(k)

program that vests immediately along with
dental, medical and vision benefits and a
generous paid-time-off program.

17. TAYLOR MORRISON
INDUSTRY: Real Estate
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 1,796/232
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Sheryl Palmer, Chairman,
President and CEO
WEBSITE: taylormorrison.com
At Taylor Morrison, employees are valued
as the most important asset and each
team member has a voice. The company
embodies a culture that inspires employees
to do their best work, develop both personally and professionally, and have fun.

18. BURNS & MCDONNELL
INDUSTRY: Engineering
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 5,293/85
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Ray Kowalik,
Chairman & CEO
WEBSITE: burnsmcd.com
Burns & McDonnell is a 100 percent employee-owned firm. Encouraging employees to advance their careers, the company
offers job-related courses and training
programs that are mutually advantageous
to the company’s goals and the individual’s
career progress. By participating in the
company’s wellness program employees
can earn an $80 per month discount on
their healthcare premiums and benefit
from a wide variety of health services and
opportunities. An on-site fitness center and
walking trails encourages employees to
stay fit, de-stress and reenergize while at
work.

Focusing on career development, BDO
pays for CPA study courses and materials
and reimburses CPA exam fees for regular
employees. The firm also pays a CPA certification bonus up to $3,000 to entry-level
employees who pass the exam within a
specified timeframe. During busy season,
perks such as snacks and lunches are
provided on long days, and breakfast
is served on weekends.

20. ENDURANCE
INTERNATIONAL GROUP
INDUSTRY: Technology
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 3,171/850
ARIZONA LOCATION: Tempe
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Andrew Wright, GM,
Tempe Operations
WEBSITE: endurance.com
With a simple mission to bring together
technology, people, products and data to
empower small business, Endurance International Group survived the dotcom bust to
grow to more than 4,000 employees worldwide, including a rapidly growing location
in Tempe. The company recognizes how
crucial employees’ career success is for
company success. Employees are empowered to help shape the company, resulting
in upper mobility. Career paths take shape
as new hiring favors internal promotions.
Employees appreciate the high energy and
culture of empowerment that epitomizes
the Endurance Tempe office; the generous
benefits and perks provided are the added
cherry on top.

21. CHARLES SCHWAB & CO.
INDUSTRY: Financial Services
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 15,596/3,433
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Walter Bettinger II,
President & CEO
WEBSITE: aboutschwab.com
Schwab believes in the power of investing
to help individuals create a better tomorrow. They have a history of challenging

the status quo in their industry, innovating
in ways that benefit investors and the
advisors and employers who serve them,
and championing their clients’ goals with
passion and integrity. Schwab invests in its
employees through continuing education
and career development reimbursement,
plus a variety of leadership programs. Supporting the company’s culture of service,
employees get paid time off, which can be
used during their annual Schwab Volunteer
Week or throughout the year to serve in the
community.

22. AMERICAN EXPRESS
INDUSTRY: Financial Services - Other
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 21,000/7,321
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Ken Chenault,
Chairman and CEO
WEBSITE: americanexpress.com
American Express provides the flexibility
employees need to balance work and personal life. Programs designed to help employees find their best work-life fit include
LifeCare, a personal assistant dedicated
for all Amex employees, free bike share
and personalized financial coaching
The company offers comprehensive and
competitive benefits and there is a strong
commitment to health and wellness. Employees have access to on-site wellness
and activity centers staffed with health
coaches and nutritionists.

23. DIRECT ENERGY
INDUSTRY: Energy
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 5,100/276
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: John Schultz, President,
North America Business
WEBSITE: directenergy.com
Direct Energy is one of North America’s
largest energy and energy-related services
providers with nearly 5 million residential
and commercial customer relationships.
Direct Energy provides customers with

choice and support in managing their energy costs through a portfolio of innovative
products and services. A subsidiary of
Centrica plc (LSE:CAN), one of the world’s
leading integrated energy companies, Direct Energy operates in 46 U.S. states plus
the District of Columbia and 10 provinces
in Canada.

The company promotes engagement
through events like Geek Week, Bring Your
Child to Work Day, and Halloween Cube or
Treat. Intensive training, tuition reimbursement, and mentoring programs help GM IT
professionals develop their skills. Wellness
challenges and on-site health assessments
keep employees healthy.

JDA Software is the leading provider
of seamless supply chain planning and
execution solutions for retailers, manufacturers, logistics providers and wholesale
distributors. Our unmatched solution portfolio enables our more than 4,000 global
customers to reduce costs, increase profitability and improve visibility so they can deliver on customer promises every time. JDA
prides itself on a corporate culture where
hard work is rewarded, personal development is encouraged and collaboration and
innovation thrives. JDA’s core values are
what bind the company together as one
JDA: results, relentless and teamwork.

DriveTime is the fourth largest vehicle
dealer group and the largest subprime auto
finance and used car retailer in the USA.
Since 2002, DriveTime has been headquartered in Phoenix working to transform the
car buying experience from a lengthy, painful debacle to a simple process, backed by
technology and human capital. Our 5,000+
employees work to aid the often undeserved, less-than-perfect credit community
and span across over 140 dealerships in
27 states, 27 inspection centers and 3
operations centers.

25. GENERAL MOTORS ARIZONA
IT INNOVATION CENTER
INDUSTRY: Information Technology Manufacturing
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 91,776/950
ARIZONA LOCATION: Chandler
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Mary Barra,
Chairman and CEO
WEBSITE: gm.com
Employees hired at one of the four GM IT
Innovation Centers are provided a worldclass benefits and paid time off package,
including 16 paid holidays per year, 15
vacation days upon hire and two weeks
of paid parental leave. Paid time off is also
provided for community service activities.

TOP COMPANIES TO WORK FOR
MEDIUM COMPANY RANKINGS U.S. 100 – 999 employees

1. FAIRMONT SCOTTSDALE PRINCESS
INDUSTRY: Hospitality
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 788/788
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Jack Miller,
General Manager
WEBSITE: scottsdaleprincess.com
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess celebrates its staff in a fun, energetic and
empowered environment. Employees have
wide array of opportunities for growth, with
many training programs available. Princess colleagues receive benefits including
medical, 401K and extensive travel benefits
within Fairmont and affiliated brands worldwide. Employees also enjoy a variety of activities including the summer picnic, holiday
gala, receive a Thanksgiving turkey, access
to the WM Phoenix Open, Barrett Jackson
and may participate in a number of charitable endeavors throughout the year.

2. JENNINGS, STROUSS & SALMON
INDUSTRY: Legal
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 147/135
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix, Peoria
TOP US EXECUTIVE: John C. Norling,
Managing Attorney
WEBSITE: jsslaw.com
Founded in Phoenix, Arizona in 1942, Jennings, Strouss & Salmon has the talent and
insight to address a wide-range of business legal issues. We believe that retaining
gratified and motivated employees is vital
to the success of the firm and its clients;
therefore, we place a high degree of importance on systems and programs that retain
talent. Competitive pay, wide-spectrum
of benefits, employee recognition, professional development, and a culture built on
collaboration are integral to maintaining
employee satisfaction. The firm also recognizes that an important part of supporting
a positive work environment is to ensure
that our employees have a voice. When
employees expressed that they wanted to
make a more significant impact to highlight

issues and solve problems in underserved
communities, the Jennings Strouss Foundation was created.

4. OUTBOUNDENGINE
INDUSTRY: Technology
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 271/41
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Branndon Stewart,
Founder and CEO
WEBSITE: outboundengine.com
OutboundEngine offers a robust benefits
package including health, dental, vision,
401k and a multitude of services through
its employee assistance program. The
company hosts regular catered lunches
along with daily unlimited snacks and beverages and private concerts for employees
and monthly happy hours. Sales-floor spiffs
and competitions have included things like
“Most sales in a day earns a new bigscreen TV” to a new car for the year-end
sales leader.

At Larry H. Miller Avondale Dodge, employees have the opportunity to take part
in unique incentive programs. Each month
the top salesperson is recognized in a
storewide meeting with a bonus, plaque,
social media and a parking spot included
as some of the benefits. Top performing
employees are recognized in the employee
magazine as well as recognition posted
inside the facility. A new award called the
“Who We Are” award has been initiated
honoring employees each quarter who
exemplify the company’s values of Integrity,
Hard Work, Stewardship and Service.
A monetary gift is also awarded.

6. NEW HORIZONS LEARNING GROUP
INDUSTRY: Education
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 151/25
ARIZONA LOCATION: Tucson
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Kevin Landry, CEO
WEBSITE: nhlearninggroup.com
Fostering an environment where learning
is key, New Horizons Learning Group offers
free classes for employees and their immediate family members. Employees receive
personalized development plans with oneon-one coaching and managers are eligible
for leadership coaching. To encourage
each employee to live company values,
a $100 bonus is awarded to employees
who exemplify New Horizons’ core values
of Gratitude, Respect, Accountability,
Simplicity and People-First.

and an upbeat atmosphere, LaneTerralever
hosts company-wide happy hours, special
events for company celebrations and a holiday party. Employees partake in intramural
sport leagues and participate in Pat’s Run,
an autism walk and other local events. The
company offers monthly relationship-building activities for employees, to further encourage communication and teamwork in
the office, plus an office Olympics to foster
healthy competition.

8. HOMESMART INTERNATIONAL
INDUSTRY: Real Estate
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 104/91
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Ashley Bowers,
President and COO
WEBSITE: homesmart.com
Homesmart International thanks its employees with quarterly, yearly and incentive
bonuses. The company hosts numerous
fun events including Monthly Spirit Week,
Cook Off Challenge, “You Rock” Recognition plus birthday and anniversary celebrations. Food and snacks are available
onsite and employees can access a fully
equipped on-site fitness center round the
clock. During work hours, employees can
unwind at the pool table or on a company
furnished hoverboard.

At LaneTerralever, employees have the
option of flexible work schedules. The
company provides employees with a fully
stocked kitchen and a “speakeasy,” complete with a keg. To foster communication

The Company shows their appreciation
and rewards employees through awards,
peer recognition, trips, gift cards, meals
and company events including picnics and
sporting events, and annual Holiday parties.

7. LANETERRALEVER

Charitable initiatives are the heart of Homeowners Financial Group, with countless
opportunities to volunteer during and outside
of work hours. HFG also offers an Employee
Tenure Program, a Corporate Culture Committee, and takes the recipients of the annual
President’s Club award on an all-inclusive
company trip, with past destinations including Puerto Vallarta and the Bahamas.

keeps the kitchen well stocked with healthy
snacks. Trace3 also provides training and
supports career opportunities internally so
that talented employees can deliver their
greatest value. Through the Spiffing Program, employees can recognize their peers
throughout the year for their successes.
Employees also join together to reach out
to the community by participating in various
charitable programs.

We are especially proud of this recognition
as a Top Company to Work For in Arizona. It
reﬂects our long-term commitment to providing
the independence, support and resources our
associates desire so they can make a difference
for our clients and the communities we serve.

Voya Investment Management
is proud to have been selected
as one of the 2017 azcentral.com®

Top Companies to
Work For in Arizona

For more information on local career opportunities as a ﬁnancial advisor, branch office
administrator or home-office associate, visit
www.careers.edwardjones.com.

TOP COMPANIES TO WORK FOR
MEDIUM COMPANY RANKINGS U.S. 100 – 999 employees
and sales. The company makes work for
its employees enjoyable with free lunches
on Wednesdays, snacks, work at home
Fridays and unlimited vacation. Liveops
provides work anniversary gifts at 5 Year,
10 Year, 15 Year+, as well as quarterly recognition of work anniversaries, birthdays
and milestones. The “Own It” Quarterly
Award goes to the team or individual who
best embodies Liveops’ culture.

12. RENTERS WAREHOUSE
INDUSTRY: Real Estate
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 170/19
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Kevin Ortner, CEO
WEBSITE: renterswarehouse.com
Renters Warehouse demonstrates appreciation for employees with monthly
birthday lunches, hula hoops and putt in
the office, an anniversary gift for each year
an employee is with the company and 20
days of paid time off at only five years of
employment. Healthy snacks are available
24/7 and there are multiple filtered water
dispensers throughout the office.

13. EBCO INC. DBA LA-Z-BOY
FURNITURE GALLERIES OF ARIZONA

EBCO is committed to improvement by
Engaging employee communication, Quarterly and Annual Q&A company meetings,
Employee Survey, and an Idea Sharing
Culture.

14. RIDER LEVETT BUCKNALL LTD.
INDUSTRY: Construction
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 140/31
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Julian Anderson, President
WEBSITE: rlb.com
Through the company’s employee health
plan there are various opportunities for
employees to take advantage of fitness
discounts, weight loss management and
purchase of fitness trackers. To support
employees along their career path, the
company provides strong employee development support with tuition reimbursement
or assistance for advanced or post-graduate degrees, certifications and business
education workshops and conferences.
To recognize team members’ efforts,
the company hosts a holiday party,
a Presidents’ barbeque, an internal March
Madness Competition, an Olympic
competition and happy hours.

EBCO takes care of its employees through
Personal and vacation days, company
bonuses, professional training, potential for
flexible/seasonal four-day work weeks, and
company Holiday celebrations! Additional
incentives awarded for 2017: up to an extra
$1000 vacation fund paid to each/all EBCO
employees, Hawaii Trips awarded to Big
Top Elite Performer (employee award), Idea
of the Year, and top 10 sales performers,
AZ Diamondbacks Tickets (behind home
plate), Phoenix Suns (Lodge Area Tickets).

LifeLock offers a superior benefits package, a high 401(k) match and plenty of paid
time off. A corporate bonus is paid yearly
based on performance metrics, while the
Spot Bonus is distributed as seen fit by
leaders. Employees have the option to distribute a Flash Award gift card to another
employee to instantly recognize outstanding performance. To promote healthy living,
the company provides a free on-site gym.

With flexible work arrangements in place,
the majority of Lovitt & Touche’s service
teams are able to take advantage of
telecommuting one-to-two days a week.
The company offers a competitive pay and
benefits package, as well as a supportive
management team. Through its C.A.R.E.S.
committee, employees have an opportunity
to give back to the community through regular fundraises and volunteering. Further,
the company has a strong commitment to
workplace wellness, offering a number of
health, fitness and nutrition perks.

17. STORMWIND STUDIOS
INDUSTRY: Training
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 133/133
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Thomas Graunke, CEO
WEBSITE: stormwindstudios.com
StormWind focuses on work-life balance,
taking into account physical, emotional
and spiritual well-being. Every Friday,
employees can meet with a company
pastor on-site for counseling, support
and personal enrichment. He conducts
a weekly devotional on Friday afternoons,
which is completely voluntary and open to
all employees and is one of the company’s
most popular benefits. StormWind hosts
ongoing contests that award cash prizes,
cars, international trips, home appliances
and more. Employees get to experience
catered team lunches on the last two days
of the month; Red Bull power hours, ice
cream socials, impromptu grilled cheese
Fridays, monthly bagel and doughnut
breakfasts and team potlucks.

Employees are encouraged to participate
in company organized opportunities to help
the community. Volunteers have assisted
with the 13th Annual Tempe Healing Field,
the Sunshine Acres Children’s Home and
the Adopt an ASU Family Program. Employees have an opportunity to participate
in the Annual Walk Across America team
challenge to promote wellness and win a
catered lunch with the CEO. The employee
engagement committee works with the
university to provide staff members with
the ASU 101 Discovery series, an opportunity to tour different parts of campus and
learn how the non-profit’s work impacts
students and the community.

19. VOYA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
INDUSTRY: Financial Services
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 921/214
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Christine Hurtsellers, CEO,
Investment Management
WEBSITE: investments.voya.com
At Voya Investment Management, reliability is the cornerstone of our investment
philosophy. Voya provides a supportive and collaborative culture that allows
employees to take on responsibility and
engage colleagues across the firm. Senior
leaders have a low ego factor, are very approachable and encourage entrepreneurial
behavior. Support of the local community is
part of the Scottsdale site mission; employees are given time off for volunteer work
(up to 40 hours annually) and can donate
financially, with company matching, to the
charity of their choice. Voya provides a
robust benefits plan, which includes on-site
health screenings and annual flu shots.

TopCompanies.AZcentral.com | TOP COMPA NIES 2017 | 29

20. HYATT REGENCY PHOENIX
INDUSTRY: Hospitality
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 284/284
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Mark Hoplamazian,
President and CEO
WEBSITE: phoenix.regency.hyatt.com
Working at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix
grants employees complimentary Hyatt hotel
rooms around the world with discounts on
food and beverage as well as spa services.
Associates can spend their breaks in the hotel’s employee lounge where they can enjoy
complimentary breakfast, lunch or dinner,
wi-fi, computer access and board games.
Our educational reimbursement program
gives our colleagues the opportunity to take
classes in any subject that will help them be
their best both personally and professionally.

21. KITCHELL
INDUSTRY: Construction
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 775/351
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Jim Swanson, CEO
WEBSITE: kitchell.com
Kitchell is an employee-owned company
that offers profit sharing, challenging work
and the ability to innovate through entrepreneurial thinking. The company offers employees on-site health exams, vaccines and
other screenings at an annual health and
wellness fair. In addition to supporting local
causes, Kitchell hosts an annual “Build Fore
Good” golf tournament that has generated
hundreds of thousands of dollars for local
non-profits, including Phoenix Children’s
Hospital, Desert Mission Food Bank, Semper Fi fund and the 100 Club, among others.

At Credit Union West, all employees, both
full time and part time, are eligible for an
annual bonus based on the organization’s
overall performance. The company supports many organizations through financial
literacy, monetary and in-kind donations,
classroom grants, scholarships, sponsored
events and volunteer opportunities. To show
recognition for a job well done, the company provides a generous incentive plan, an
annual Employee Rally, special occasion
employee parties, and Jean Day Fridays.

23. ALLIANCE HOME LOANS
INDUSTRY: Banking
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 230/209
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Jamie Korus, President
WEBSITE: alliancehomeloans.com
Alliance Home Loans offers employees
work-life balance benefits such as telecommuting and flexible schedules. The company hosts on-site fitness classes twice a
week, offers a fit company challenge and
provides annual health screenings and
flu shots. Fun incentives include a money
booth (employees stand in a booth where
money is blown around and they can keep
what they catch), end-of-the-month lunch
and spring training game tickets.

24. SITELOCK, LLC
INDUSTRY: Technology
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 204/89
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Neill Feather, President
WEBSITE: sitelock.com
SiteLock empowers its employees by providing a unique corporate culture driven by
trust and teamwork. The company operates under a true open-door policy, giving
employees the freedom to share ideas and
challenge the status quo. While SiteLock
employees work hard, they also focus on
having fun throughout their workday. The
company offers an employee game room,
frequent contests, family picnics and an

annual employee appreciation party. Not to
mention, SiteLock provides endless snacks
daily, free meals two days a week, and has
an on-site gym and cafeteria for employees.

25. LEARNING A-Z
INDUSTRY: Technology
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 265/188
ARIZONA LOCATION: Tucson
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Bob Holl,
President and Co-founder
WEBSITE: learninga-z.com
Learning A-Z provides flexible hours to accommodate school events, taking a family
member to the doctor or other obligations.
The company provides tuition reimbursement for advanced or post-graduate degree certifications and business education
workshops and conferences. The company
supports the Tucson Humane Society
and the University of Arizona through
monetary donations.

26. LGI HOMES
WEBSITE: Real Estate
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 618/52
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Eric Lipar, CEO
WEBSITE: lgihomes.com
Based in The Woodlands, Texas, LGI Homes
is a publicly-traded homebuilder that has been
making the dream of homeownership come
true for buyers since 2003. Our mission is
simple: give first-time and long-time homebuyers quality homes at affordable prices.

a wellness tool featuring monthly wellness
challenges and quarterly lunches focusing
on a specific financial health/planning
topic facilitated by an industry specialist.
Employees have access to a bean bag
room for breaks, naps and lounging.
The company sponsors chair massages,
food competitions and potlucks.

28. RUMMEL CONSTRUCTION, INC.
INDUSTRY: Construction
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 364/363
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Rod Rummel,
Chairman and COO
WEBSITE: rummelconstruction.com
Rummel prides itself on having a management team that treats all employees
as equals and with respect. The company
launches numerous employee engagement
activities, including monthly birthday parties for the office employees and frequent
potlucks and treats. Every year employees
have an opportunity to participate in the
Annual Charity Golf Tournament to support
the Tracey Miner Memorial Fund, as well as
The Big Dig in the Desert which supports
the American Cancer Society.

29. NEXTIVA
INDUSTRY: Telecommunications
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 500/500
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Tomas Gorny, CEO
WEBSITE: nextiva.com
Nextiva hosts multiple team-building events
each year including a flag football tournament, movie screenings, and an annual
company party. The company serves
free breakfast on Mondays, ice cream on
Wednesdays and lunch on Fridays. Employees can enjoy an open-door policy with
executive leadership and many opportunities available for career growth. To promote
health and well-being, Nextiva has developed an employee wellness program which
includes an annual onsite health fair, chair

30 | TOP COMPA NIES 2017

TOP COMPANIES TO WORK FOR
SMALL COMPANY RANKINGS U.S. 25 – 99 Employees
massages, and weekly health coach tips
year round. Giving back to the community is
important to Nextiva, which is why Nextiva Cares was created. Employees receive
monthly opportunities to participate in internal
donation drives or on-site volunteer activities
as well for local non-profit organizations.

tal leave, paid volunteer day, career break,
tuition reimbursement, casual Fridays and
summer casual dress, covered parking
and an on-site autospa. Employees have
access to a wide variety of health and
wellness initiatives including a company
paid wellness program that provides 24/7
support to employees & dependents.

30. MC RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES
INDUSTRY: Real Estate
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 283/162
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Leslie Brice, President
WEBSITE: mcresidential.com
MC Residential Communities vision is to be
the company that helps more people—employees, investors and residents—achieve
“the good life” through work, investments,
and day-to-day living. They achieve this by
hosting annual development summits, promoting a healthy lifestyle through meditation
classes, personal training and nutrition’s
seminars and by recognizing and rewarding
team member who demonstrate excellence.
MC is also committed to volunteering and
contributing to causes where they live, work
& play. Volunteering fuels individual passions, develops employee skills, facilitates
teamwork and strengthens the bonds between our company and the community.

32. GEORGE BRAZIL
AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING
INDUSTRY: HVAC
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 136/136
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Jim Probst, President
WEBSITE: georgebrazilhvac.com
George Brazil Air Conditioning & Heating
recognizes employees when they go above
and beyond in providing excellent customer
service and satisfaction. These rewards and
recognition include department breakfasts,
lunches, and prizes given almost every
week. Each year the company participates
in community sponsorships requested by
the employees. These sponsorships are
closely related to each employee, meaning
many local little league teams, churches,
schools, and charity organizations. Fun is a
priority for the George Brazil team, thus, at
the end of every team meeting, some sort of
game or challenge is planned.

MedAire Inc. offers employees a flexible
work schedule including a three day work
week for the operations team and telecommuting one day a week for office staff.
Employee engagement initiatives include a
recognition program, happy hours, holiday
party and domestic and international travel.
The company furnishes comprehensive
benefit programs that includes paid paren-

The WebPT team hosts numerous events
and activities for employees, including the
annual holiday party, capture the flag, popcorn Fridays, quarterly team outings and the
annual employee and family company picnic
at a local park. To ensure employee health
and well-being, the company provides workstation treadmills, fitness challenges, on-site
health screenings, a health fair and flu shots.

Once a year, employees at Equity Methods
escape out of town for their annual retreat
to engage in team building and fellowship (prior destinations include Sedona,
Flagstaff and San Diego). To help employees unwind amidst the non-stop pressure of delivering high-impact consulting
engagements, there’s usually a game of
ping-pong, pool, or laser tag in the works.
Movie nights, happy hours, culture nights,
and yoga nights have also been hits. Above
all, the team is committed to staying low
on politics and high on performance and
impact, giving professionals at all levels
stimulating and meaningful work.

With a core value of people first, NextNet
Partners has created a family atmosphere
that looks out for their team members. The
company provides a great benefits package including health, dental, LTD, STD,
401K, profit sharing, plus flexible paid time
off. Monthly meetings give team members
a chance to reconnect, receive recognition,
give feedback, and hear from leadership.
They use their quarterly meetings to “give
back”, another core value, by participating
with local charities like Feed My Starving
Children and St. Mary’s Food Bank or
working on projects like painting a mural at
Open Doors Community School.

4. BISHOP FOX
2. MRA ASSOCIATES
INDUSTRY: Financial Services
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 45/45
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Mark Feldman,
CEO and Managing Partner
WEBSITE: mraassociates.com
MRA Associates has its employees’ best interests at heart, because the team members
that MRA clients work with today are the
firm’s future leaders. While the firm expects
all employees to work hard to provide clients
with the best possible experience, it fosters
an environment for those same employees
to be rewarded well, both financially and with
professional growth. The firm supports a
culture of learning by financially supporting
education opportunities for team members to
continually learn and grow, attain professional
certifications, and participate in firm-sponsored lunch and learn events. The firm and its
employees volunteer for a variety of non-profit
organizations, such as the Phoenix Children’s
Hospital and Valley of the Sun United Way.

INDUSTRY: Technology
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 74/46
ARIZONA LOCATION: Tempe
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Francis Brown, Partner;
Vincent Liu, Partner
WEBSITE: bishopfox.com
Office perks abound at Bishop Fox with
Taco Tuesdays, movie nights, BBQ/potlucks, kitchen snacks and ping pong table.
Employees have access to a company-owned ski lease in Lake Tahoe. Work
schedules are flexible with a telecommuting option. To boost general health and
well-being of employees, the company
provides elliptical and treadmill machines
for casual use or work breaks if needed.
Birthdays and work anniversaries are recognized with gift cards, cards and company lunches. There is a specific mailbox
for kudos, where all employees are able
to submit praise for fellow co-workers
for a job well done.

SENTINEL TECHNOLOGIES
AZ EMPLOYEES: 52

B

DENNIS HOELZER,
PRESIDENT/CEO

eing at the vanguard of technology
and investing in trusted relationships
has made Sentinel Technologies an
enduring success ever since it was
founded in 1982 by Dennis Hoelzer.
“Even as our services have spanned
generations of technology, Sentinel has
stayed at the forefront of IT developments,
maintaining a singular focus on providing
practical and innovative solutions,” said
Brad Faubion, manager for the U.S. Western
Region, based in Tempe, Arizona. “With
single-source accountability, our processes
and teams can efficiently address a range of
IT needs – from communications, to data
center, to cloud and managed services. Our
proven success has allowed us to expand from
our original charter of providing technology
maintenance services to our current standing
as one of the leading IT services and solutions
providers in the nation. By aligning with
many of today’s global technology leaders –
including Cisco, Microsoft, EMC and Vmware

sentinel.com

1241 W. Warner Rd., #112
Tempe, AZ 85284

– Sentinel Technologies achieves tangible
results.”
Just as Sentinel stays on the leadingedge of technology, their human resources
department looks for input and trends to
continually create an atmosphere where
employees feel valued, rewarded and see future
opportunities. The amenity-rich corporate
culture features competitive salaries, an opendoor management philosophy and admirable
benefits including medical, dental, vision,
401K, 529 college savings, life insurance,
income protection, short and long-term
disability, medical and child/elder care,
flexible spending account plans, an employee
assistance program, two weeks of vacation,
paid personal/sick days and customized
training.
To encourage health and wellness, Sentinel
provides healthy cooking and weight loss
competitions, social appreciation events and
massage services. The company also promotes
regular physical activity and has insurance

480-820-7141

discounts for annual health screening
participation.
Also based in Tempe, Kevin Koski, vice
president of sales for the U.S. Western Region,
said that being located in the vibrant East
Valley is also a plus for employees. Originally
from Michigan, he said that the warm,
Southwestern winter weather is definitely a
benefit that he and other team members enjoy.
Koski pointed out that Sentinel is ideal
for building a career because, “we are still
an entrepreneurial organization, which is
great because it offers a lot of opportunity for
significant accomplishments. Being privately
held, we have a longer-term vision of what
successful relationships take. Publicly held
companies frequently are more about today,
tomorrow or quarterly and can’t do the right
thing for the long term; but we can and
consistently do. It is not just a job at Sentinel; it
is a career, it is a family, it is something bigger
and better to be part of.”
The longevity of Sentinel team members is

a testament to the effectiveness of a dynamic
corporate culture. Koski shared that even with
his 14 years with the company and Faubion’s 23,
when they attend national manager gatherings,
they are junior in seniority compared to most
attending from the firm’s 11 locations.
“We want employees and customers who
are not just transactional,” said Koski. “People
who want to get the best from Sentinel,
whether as an employee or as a customer, join
with us in a broad, knowledgeable relationship
of trust.”
Sentinel creates teams that are fully
engaged throughout every aspect of a project.
Committed to developing technology solutions
that meet the challenges facing companies
today and tomorrow, Sentinel Technologies is
known for always leading, always connecting,
always engaging, and always delivering by
being motivated, knowledgeable, involved
and efficient. It is an action model that helps
customers and employees excel and reach their
highest levels of achievement. n

32 | TOP COMPA NIES 2017

TOP COMPANIES TO WORK FOR
SMALL COMPANY RANKINGS U.S. 25 – 99 Employees

At MassMutual Arizona, employees benefit
from a flexible work schedule. The company hosts fun outings at TopGolf and Main
Event, and also hosts go-cart racing, an
annual banquet and golfing at the Arizona
Country Club. Qualifying employees have
an opportunity to go on trips around the
world each year. The company provides
monthly catered luncheons and an annual
softball event. To promote career advancement, MassMutual encourages employees
to continue their education no matter how
many years they have been in the industry
and reimburses tuition for classes.

6. PLANNED DEVELOPMENT
SERVICES, LLC
INDUSTRY: HOA Community Management
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 48/48
ARIZONA LOCATION: Peoria
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Lori Rutledge,
President and CEO
WEBSITE: pdsaz.com
With a flexible work schedule, relaxed
dress code, free monthly lunches, cookies
and popcorn every day, Planned Development Services, LLC is an employee-friendly
office where the team works hard and has
fun doing it. The company hosts Halloween
and Christmas cubicle decorating contests
and boosts teamwork with organized team
building events throughout the year. To
keep everybody in shape, there is a large
office dedicated as a gym, with various
cardio machines, yoga mats, balance balls
and free weights. The PDS Team pride
themselves on being a very philanthropic
and always giving back with various projects throughout the year.

At Architekton, the productive work environment is conducive to empowerment,
collaboration and plenty of fun. They are
driven to produce great work through
a client-focused design process. The
building has a courtyard that employees
use for ping pong, corn hole, BBQs and
other stress relieving events and activities.
The open office environment allows for
occasional fun outbursts such as snowball
fights, drone flights and Nerf gun battles.
The center of the office is an open “living
room” where the entire office takes part
in group activities and presentations. Employees gather together to volunteer with
Tempe Cares, assisting the community
with clean up and repair projects. Other
volunteer outings include Feed My Starving
Children and a holiday family sponsorship.

8. ORCHARD MEDICAL CONSULTING
INDUSTRY: Healthcare - Insurance/Services
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 67/43
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Robin Orchard,
President and Owner
WEBSITE: orchardmed.com
Recognizing a job well done is a key component of the work culture at Orchard Medical
Consulting. Management conducts Friday
Spotlights on a staff member to showcase
what they do and get to know them better.
Each year before the company seminar, staff
members nominate and vote for team members for: Rookie of the Year, Unsung Hero,
Emerging Leader and Lifetime Achievement.
The company enjoys fun team building outings such as Epic Escape Room, appreciation
lunches or happy hours to celebrate benchmarks or record breaking achievements.

A family-focused company, Vertech Industrial Systems provides free or discounted
tickets to local family entertainment or
sporting events and immediate family
members are invited to all corporate
events. The company provides numerous
annual events and parties with the owners
of the company attending Family Day.
In the office, employees enjoy free snacks,
games at the ping pong table and Smoothie Wednesdays. There are Friday morning
bagel meetings every week.

10. ASHTON TIFFANY, LLC
INDUSTRY: Risk Management
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 88/88
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: John Ashton, Principal;
Michael Tiffany, Principal
WEBSITE: ashtontiffany.com
Ashton Tiffany provides a 100 percent
company-paid benefits package and a
focus on wellness with weekly yoga sessions and a fitness track with lap counters
available for use, a 401(k) with company
match and generous PTO and tuition
reimbursement allowances. The company
hosts quarterly sessions to help educate
staff on retirement planning, healthy eating,
meditation, mindfulness and other healthy
living topics. Employees find time to relax
in the fully stocked employee lounge which
includes a table top video game console,
pop-a-shot basketball game, foosball table,
shuffleboard table, satellite TV, snacks,
books, games and puzzles. The company
has a fun atmosphere with themed parties,
paper airplane contests, scooter races,
random acts of wackiness, dress-up days
and more.

11. GEORGE BRAZIL PLUMBING
AND ELECTRICAL
INDUSTRY: Services - Other
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 62/62
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Marc Erpenbeck,
President
WEBSITE: georgebrazilplumbingelectrical.com
At George Brazil, employees take part in
numerous fun company events including
holiday parties, a kids’ party, a Halloween
party, picnics and visits to the zoo and a
water park. The office provides birthday
cards and gifts for every member of the
employee’s family along with gift cards and
gifts for every major holiday. Staff benefits
from quarterly profit sharing in addition to
yearly Christmas bonuses. The office has
a relaxation room with a massage chair.
There is a fully equipped gym with stateof-the-art equipment for all types of fitness.
A nail technician provides nail services on
a bi-weekly basis. Every week, departments
take turns choosing a catered lunch theme.

12. BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, INC.
INDUSTRY: Non-Profit
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 79/78
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix, Lake Havasu City,
Prescott, Yuma
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Matthew Fehling,
President and CEO
WEBSITE: bbb.org
Better Business Bureau takes care of its
employees with a community snack closet,
flex hours and a Zen room for relaxation.
The leadership team recognizes employees who go above and beyond with BBB
Bucks. Good Stuff Awards empower all
employees to thank a colleague by placing
it on a public board, then monthly all of the
entries are drawn for BBB Bucks. One day
per quarter employees are encouraged to
volunteer with the charity of their choice on
behalf of BBB.

This locally owned company supports each
employee’s career development through
ongoing training opportunities including certifications or business education
workshops and conferences. Employees
build strong connections by volunteering
in the community at Boys & Girls Clubs
of Arizona and Maricopa County Health
Foundation. Clear Title treats employees
to fun activities including a Diamondbacks
game, Phoenix Zoo and a variety of other
family friendly events.

Homewatch Caregivers promotes a work
environment based on respect, appreciation, and joy and happiness. The company offers programs and training that
enable their staff to continue expanding
their knowledge and skills. As part of their
community outreach, each employee is
allowed to contribute several hours of paid
time a week towards a volunteer initiative of
their choice.

Professional development opportunities,
flexible work schedule and employee
recognition are all part of the cultural
fabric at Proctorio. Employees can enjoy a
fully-stocked 24-hour kitchen, a bike repair
and storage facility and healthy food options provided by the company. Breaks for
walking and exercising are provided daily.
To build teamwork, monthly “Business Update Review” meetings are held at rotating
times in order to allow all employees to
attend. Different employees present each
month in order to allow each employee to
have a leadership role as well as a voice in
the business.

14. AVISOLVE
INDUSTRY: Technology
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 36/30
ARIZONA LOCATION: Gilbert
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Tony Meisner, CEO
WEBSITE: avisolve.com
Avisolve is a leading Value-Added Reseller
with a strong local presence and global
reach. As trusted advisors, they help
clients identify IT pain points and build a
road map towards resolving them, thereby
providing clients with solutions that range
from replacing a fleet of laptops to building
a new data center. Avisolve recognizes
the value of technology and innovation;
by utilizing an extensive strategic partner
base, they are capable of not only providing competitive pricing on over a million
products, but also in their architects creating the most efficient solutions based off
client needs.

16. LONGBOARD ASSET MANAGEMENT
INDUSTRY: Financial Services
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 32/31
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Cole Wilcox, CEO
WEBSITE: longboardmutualfunds.com
At Longboard Asset Management, the
company philosophy centers on freedom
and responsibility. Employees have unlimited paid vacation and are trusted to make
the best decisions to get work done and
enjoy their life outside of work. Longboard
believes in creating a community of employees and their friends. Longboard holds
multiple events throughout the year, which
include baseball games, Escape the Room
challenges, and happy hours. Longboard
also encourages all employees to volunteer
in the community each quarter. Longboard
often puts together a group volunteer
project so that employees are giving back
together.

18. ARIZONA STONE &
ARCHITECTURAL PRODUCTS
INDUSTRY: Other
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 43/43
ARIZONA LOCATION: Mesa
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Bill Burke, CEO
WEBSITE: arizonastone.com
Arizona Stone is committed to our “ team
members experience.” This is fostered
through recognition that our team members are the face of Arizona Stone in our
various marketplaces, and company a
culture committed to our team members
growth professionally and personally.

19. IDEAS COLLIDE
INDUSTRY: Advertising - Public Relations Marketing
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 43/36
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Matthew Clyde,
President and Founder
WEBSITE: ideascollide.com
Ideas Collide is a strategic communications
firm that specializes in designing integrated
marketing solutions that make an impact.
Founded with a team-first approach to
business, the agency’s core values include:
love the team, love the work and practice
giving customer love. Founded on the idea

that creative insight must be coupled with
research and analytics to create an effective marketing plan, Ideas Collide specializes in designing fully integrated marketing
solutions that deliver high impact results.
Our approach is simple – we invent ideas
and integrate solutions to create impact.
We like to tell our clients that we are their
big ideas department, because we’re here
to go beyond the ordinary and expected and produce the unique campaigns
and content they deserve. With offices in
Phoenix and Portland, Ideas Collide serves
a range of local, national and global clients
in industries including hospitality, nonprofit,
technology, beauty, health care, entertainment, retail, education and more.

20. AXOSOFT
INDUSTRY: Technology
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 30/30
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Lawdan Shojaee, CEO
WEBSITE: axosoft.com
Axosoft provides an office space where
employees can bring their dogs to work,
take fitness classes five days a week,
enjoy catered lunches twice a week and
the option to work from home if the need
arises. After just one year of employment,
staff members can take an all-expenses
paid domestic vacation. Incentives abound
for all employees. There are cash bonuses, based on overall employee/company
performance, stock options, and even a relocation bonus within five miles of the office
location. Employees regularly enjoy team
building days, team dinners and lunches.

TOP COMPANIES TO WORK FOR
SMALL COMPANY RANKINGS U.S. 25 – 99 Employees
enjoy the benefits of a truly employee-centered company. To promote a family first
environment, the company is very flexible
with work schedules including start time,
end time, working from home and taking
time off. The company often goes off-site
to movies and amusement parks and
hosts company socials.

22. THE JAMES AGENCY
INDUSTRY: Advertising - Public Relations Marketing
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 30/30
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Veronique James, CEO
WEBSITE: thejamesagency.com
Building camaraderie, The James Agency
hosts bimonthly team building activities
and an annual expenses-paid company-wide retreat. Employees enjoy a casual,
flexible work environment. There are no cubicles, every day is casual Friday and kids
and dogs are welcome. There are monthly
education seminars on agency-wide or
industry trends, tips and tricks of the trade
along with lunch provided for all staffers.
The agency celebrates birthdays and large
milestones and bestows a monthly MVP
award including covered parking for the
month and an extra half paid time off day.

23. SINFONIARX, INC.
INDUSTRY: Premier Medication
Therapy Management
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 83/68
ARIZONA LOCATION: Tucson
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Dr. Kevin Boesen, CEO
WEBSITE: sinfoniarx.com
SinfoniaRX provides a flexible working environment including flexible hours and work
from home options. A unique management
and leadership development training program
includes improv comedy training. The fully
stocked kitchen features a high-end electronic barista machine. Employees have
access to free company swag that includes
logo LL Bean backpacks; Nike shirts and

24. ORIGINAL BREAKFAST HOUSE
INDUSTRY: Restaurant
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 30/30
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: John Stidham, Owner
WEBSITE: originalbreakfasthouse.com
The Original Breakfast House creates an
employee friendly environment by offering
free food during work, providing scholarship
opportunities to attend community college
and to participate in team sports and
discounts to employees and their families
while off duty. Each year, the company
hosts a big holiday party for the staff and
their families. Employees have the opportunity
to serve in the community through the company’s partnerships with non-profit agencies.

25. ROSE LAW GROUP
INDUSTRY: Legal
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 41/41
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Jordan Rose,
President and Founder
WEBSITE: roselawgroup.com
From inspirational weekly team meetings
to Friday Fun days, where once a month
employees spend a Friday afternoon doing
all sorts of fun activities such as training
games, cart racing, Top Golf and karaoke,
Rose Law Group provides a fun atmosphere. Birthdays are celebrated with a
treat of their choice and a firm gathering.
Each spring there’s a week-long squirt gun
elimination game. The firm also provides
maternity leave, cord blood banking and inhome help for new parents.

26. FRAZER RYAN GOLDBERG
& ARNOLD, LLP
INDUSTRY: Legal
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 49/49
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: James Ryan,
Managing Partner
WEBSITE: frgalaw.com
Frazer Ryan Goldberg & Arnold focuses
on work-life balance by promoting family
first and flexibility. Employees work hard
and share in many fun activities and events
such as an annual community service
project, and annual HALL golf tournament,
potlucks, brown bag lunches, a family
picnic, a holiday gift exchange, pumpkin
carving contest and quarterly happy hours.
To encourage teamwork, the company offers several team building events throughout the year.

27. POTTER’S HOUSE APOTHECARY
INDUSTRY: Compounding Pharmacy
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 45/45
ARIZONA LOCATION: Peoria
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Dr. Kevin Borg,
President and CEO
WEBSITE: pottershouserx.com
Potter’s House Apothecary offers a robust
benefits package including medical, dental,
vision, 401k, profit sharing, a Christmas
bonus, paid time off, holiday pay and an
employee discount. Every month the company provides a catered staff lunch and
hosts multiple yearly team building events
including a Christmas party, clothing
exchange, Halloween costume contest,
ugly sweater contest, spring training,
bowling and laser tag. Employees are able
to schedule work around appointments
and events and are not expected to work
nightsor weekends.

28. AB&R®
INDUSTRY: Technology
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 37/37
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Mike Stryczek, CEO
WEBSITE: abr.com
A birthday floating holiday that can be used
for any date after your birthday and the Eagles Club, an annual all-expenses paid long
weekend trip to a resort location based on
merit and overall achievements throughout the year are among the employee
perks. The Celebrating Accomplishments
program rewards quarterly winners with
gift cards and movie tickets. And, if the
team meets their numbers for the day, they
receive an extreme casual day when they
can sport shorts and flip flops.

29. JABURG WILK
INDUSTRY: Legal
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 75/75
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Gary Jaburg,
Managing Partner
WEBSITE: jaburgwilk.com
Jaburg Wilk provides a wide variety of
educational and training opportunities for
employees. In addition to engaging consultants to lead workshops on communication
and management, the company brings in
a professor who leads group talks on emotional intelligence several times during the
year. Employee recognition is key at Jaburg
Wilk as is employee advocacy.

30. ALL THINGS METAL, LLC
INDUSTRY: Construction
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 39/39
ARIZONA LOCATION: Phoenix
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Timothy Rock,
CEO and Managing Partner
WEBSITE: atmphx.com
Starting with our team members and a family
oriented culture, All Things Metal (ATM) has
been Building Iron-Strong Relationships
for 15 years. With programs promoting our

TopCompanies.AZcentral.com | TOP COMPA NIES 2017 | 35

associates to win not only on-the-job through
our apprenticeship program and ongoing
training, but in their personal lives too (some
of those include Dave Ramsey’s Financial
Peace University & first-time homebuyer
education with incentives). Quarterly culture
events are an opportunity to show our appreciation for our team with multiple giveaways
of extra paid-time-off. ATM then encourages
team members to use PTO to build IronStrong Relationships with friends and family.

With an emphasis on professional development, GCON provides employees the
training and leadership skills they need to
be successful. Quarterly Team Builds foster
professional growth and internal relations.
The company promotes safety for both
office and field employees and provides
annual safety training. To help employees
stay fit, a personal trainer is available to all
employees and has a full gym in the office.
The company provides 100 percent coverage of health and dental for every employee.

carts, yoga classes, ping pong games,
fitness center reimbursement—those are all
perks employees can expect at AppointmentPlus. The company allows flexible
work schedules for staff. To promote a
family friendly work culture, the company
allows employees to bring pets to work
and provides a “no recitals missed” policy
whereby staff can leave during the work
day to see a school or other child-related
event.

INDUSTRY: Education
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 35/35
ARIZONA LOCATION: Tempe
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Cody Sperber, Founder and CEO
WEBSITE: cleverinvestor.com
Clever Investor has fun company events
throughout the year including the Annual

Ugly Sweater contest and Halloween Costume Contest where the winner is chosen
by employee votes and a Cash Prize is
awarded. The company hosts holiday
parties and fun outings to the Escape
Room, Octane Raceaway and Top Golf.
Clever Investor gives back through a variety
of donation drives throughout the year. In
addition to all of the events they have an InHouse Executive Chef who prepares and
serves lunch daily. Eligible employees are
offered bonuses dependent upon performance. All employees vote for the quarterly Above and Beyond employee who goes
above and beyond their job duties.

36 | TOP COMPA NIES 2017

TOP COMPANIES TO WORK FOR
SMALL COMPANY RANKINGS U.S. 25 – 99 Employees

Landings Credit Union takes care of its staff
by providing 0% Interest Free Employee
Loans. All employees are eligible to receive
an annual bonus and referral payouts and
incentives by referring business to the company’s business partners. The company
ensures open, consistent communication
between executive management and staff
and often provides fun team building activities. Employees can participate in several
community service events throughout the
year in which they donate to wear jeans and
sneakers for an extended period of time.

To create a fun, motivating atmosphere,
SelectBlinds.com serves donuts, bagels
and other food almost every other day,
offers a break room with free Netflix, Amazon prime movies, a couch to nap on and
an arcade. Occasionally, the team closes
down the office to do something fun like go
to a movie or go bowling. Every year the
office participates in a Halloween challenge
which involves dressing up and decorating
the office, then offering tours.

Lucid Agency provides flexible scheduling
for employees who wish to continue their
education or provide volunteer services.
provides paid medical dental and vision
health care, short and long term disability
for full time employees, and a 401k plan
and a financial adviser firm on retainer for
all employees. Staff gets 28 paid time off
days of their choice. The company creates a
friendly, relaxed atmosphere by providing a
ping pong table, foosball table, cornhole set
and a popcorn machine and stocked bar
cart. There are competitions throughout the

year, including the Annual Salsa Challenge.
Employees have the opportunity to nominate their favorite charity for pro bono work.

37. LEADMD
INDUSTRY: Consulting
US/AZ EMPLOYEES: 32/32
ARIZONA LOCATION: Scottsdale
TOP US EXECUTIVE: Justin Gray, CEO
WEBSITE: leadmd.com
LeadMD recognizes that beyond the plentiful bean bags, ping pong and video games
that adorn its open floorplan, engaged
employees are the true determinate of their
culture and their success. To foster an environment where everyone ‘leans in’ LeadMD sponsors the continuing education
for each of its tribe. Certifications, conferences, workshops and classes are all com-

TopCompanies.AZcentral.com | TOP COMPA NIES 2017 | 37

pany subsidized as necessary continuing
education. In the office, the company has
implemented a fitness and charity program
where the steps of each employee equate
to charitable donations to organizations the
tribe members feel strongly about. Tying it
all together is a gamified rewards system
entitled LeadMD+ which incentivizes the
team to give thanks. Each week the best
example of kudos is selected and individual
who nominated as well as their nominee
spin a large wheel full of prizes from lunch
with the CEO to cash money to a pedicure
with one of the leadership team.

TOP US EXECUTIVE: Karen Jayne, CEO
WEBSITE: stardustbuilding.org
Stardust Non-Profit Building Supplies values
a happy and healthy workplace which the
organization achieves by providing flexible
work schedules, ample vacation and sick
time benefit, and birthdays off with pay. The
building material reuse organization also
promotes career advancement by providing
leadership development and training opportunities such as reimbursement or assistance with certifications, business education
workshops and conferences. Employees
also enjoy numerous staff activities and
events throughout the year including an
annual employee picnic, quarterly all-agency
meetings with breakfast provided, and yearend holiday party where team members can
win a variety of prizes.

Creating a work environment that boosts
creativity and positivity, Serendipit offers
team happy hours, national beer day and
on-site biweekly yoga classes to promote a
healthy body and mind. Employees provide
pro bono work for Boys & Girls Clubs of
Metro Phoenix and volunteer at Feed My
Starving Children. Annual events include
a beer golf tournament, Valentine’s Day
candy bar, spring training game day and a
unique team bonding event such as horseback riding or a bowling outing each year.

“Have Fun” is part of Lavidge’s company
mantra. The company hosts many staff
events and parties including an annual
holiday party and summer party. The office
space includes a cafe, satellite and cable
TVs, a foosball table, pinball machine and an
open-office environment for collaboration.
Employees can enjoy a food and beverage
cart for Friday Happy Hour. There are unique,
fun spaces located throughout the office
where employees are able to get away and
relax or do work in a different environment.

AEROTEK

AZ EMPLOYEES: 445

A

JUSTIN SIGG, DIRECTOR OF
BUSINESS OPERATIONS

aerotek.com

erotek is in the business of helping people find the perfect
career fit – so it’s no surprise that the company ensures its
own employees have room to develop professionally.“We
seek out a very specific type of person to work here,” Justin Sigg,
Director of Business Operations at Aerotek, said, highlighting that
the company values “character over competency.”
“We look for people who have overcome adversity, have a very
competitive mindset, and yet are humble and selfless,” he said. “We
want people who have a strong desire to win, but yet are willing to
put others interests before their own. That’s a unique combination.”
And once employees are part of the Aerotek family, they typically
stay on for long stretches of time, mainly due to the organization’s
emphasis on allowing its employees the opportunity to grow.
“Our company is very big on promoting from within and not
hiring externally,” Sigg said. “Everybody has the opportunity to
move up, and move up quickly based on performance and leadership
characteristics.”
In order to clear a pathway of ongoing opportunities for its

1540 W. Fountainhead Pkwy.,
Tempe, AZ 85282

602-567-1980

employees, Aerotek provides a robust professional development
program for its workers, and also has a mentorship program for new
hires. The mentorship program, a 13-week program during which a
more senior staff member regularly meets with a newcomer for 30-60
minute weekly sessions, formalizes an intrinsic part of the company
culture: Always keep learning and striving for excellence.
That excellence translates to Aerotek’s relationships with its
clients, for which it provides top of the line staffing services in a
number of fields.
“We look for great companies [to work with],” Sigg said. “We
don’t work with just anybody, because our name and our reputation
is on the line.”
A core consideration for Aerotek when making its own internal
hires is that of diversity and inclusion; it’s central to the company’s
values. Aerotek strives to ensure that each of its teams are diverse
and open to a variety of perspectives, which the company maintains
is central to its success. Ultimately, a focus on finding passionate
individuals is just what makes Aerotek so good at what it does.

“What we do is not easy,” Sigg. “Our product is people, which at
times can be unpredictable, but it is so rewarding to help someone
find a career they love. It’s also extremely rewarding when our clients
tell us that we really impacted their business positively.” n